Time Capsule
by Didjargo
Summary: Cowritten by Lord Malachite. Continued after many years on hiatus! This a story that takes place during a reunion when the gang is 24. Of how people change, and of how a love lost is never forgotten.
1. Last Days of Innocence

Time Capsule

Chapter 1: Last days of Innocence

It was a beautiful summer day. More specifically, it was the beginning of the last week of summer vacation. But instead being outside, living it up, Lor, Tino, and Carver were down in Tino's basement rummaging thought some dusty old shelves. Well, actually Lor was just watching them from the stairs- supervising as she put it.

Tino, standing on an old milk crate to reach the higher shelves, turned to us as the world goes gray, "Oh hey, Tino here. But I'm sure you know that by now. Where have you guys been? You missed a great summer. Man, too bad that we have to go back to school next week. Yeah, sometimes I wish that the fun would never end. What are we doing down here you ask? Well, we got to thinking, we're going into the 8th grade now- that's like Junior High man. By this time next year, we'll all be teenagers. This is, you know, our last summer as kids! Pretty scary thought huh. So we decided to make the memories last forever- literally. Now if we could only find what we're looking for."

The world regained its pace as Tino shifted an old pot out of his way unveiling one of his many phobias. "ACK! A spider!" Actually, it was merely a dust ball. But it was still enough to send Tino flying back off the milk crate onto the floor below. Fortunately, he landed on an old, dusty mattress. The cloud of dust risen from the impact filled the air causing Tino to hack and cough.

In a moment, he noticed that there was chocolate dripping onto his forehead…. Lor was standing right over him gnawing on her frozen choco-fudge. She held a gray metal box, roughly the size of a shoebox, aloft in her spare hand. "Is this what you're looking for?" She asked very nonchalant.

"Um, yeah. Where did you find it?" He asked staring up at her from the floor.

Lor delayed her response as she swallowed her mouthful, "Under the stairs."

"I see." Tino said as yet another droplet of Lor's snack hit his forehead.

"I guess the old mentality of starting from the top and working your way down doesn't apply here, huh T." Carver joked as he helped his friend to his feet.

"Dude," Lor said as she finished off her frozen treat, "when we agreed to make a time capsule, I imagined something like a shoebox or a Tupperware container. What the heck is this thing?"

"It's an old safe box that used to belong to my dad. I figured that it would be the perfect thing for a time capsule" Tino explained, wiping the sticky mess from his brow.

"Yeah," Carver added, "Shoeboxes break down in the elements. But this sucker is built like a tank. It will keep our stuff safe through Armageddon."

"Right," Lor retorted, "Like we're really going to stop and reminisce about our childhood when we're radioactive zombies." She illustrated by teetering her arms out in front of her in a very zombie like fashion.

"I don't think radioactive zombies were ever mentioned in the Book of Revaluation." Tish corrected as she made her entrance down the stairs with a black carrying case strapped around her shoulder.

"Wasn't Keanu Reeves in that movie?" Tino asked Carver.

"No, no, I think she meant that one where Bruce Willis dies at the end." He responded.

"You mean that one where he was a ghost all along?"

"No," Carver continued, "That was a different movie all together… or maybe it was the sequel."

"READ A BOOK!" Tish screamed, "IT'S IN THE FREAK'N BIBLE!"

They all paused and looked at Tish with her arms in the air.

"Oh," Lor broke the silence, "So it was the one with Mel Gibson."

Tish dropped her arms to her sides and looked at Lor, "Yes Lor, radioactive zombies." She said in the dead-panest of voices.

"Cool." Lor said simply. Tish just rolled her eyes.

"What took you so long?" Carver asked Tish.

"Well, I couldn't find anything in my room that I'd really be willing to part with," She explained as she swung the case from her shoulder, "So I brought my video camera."

"You mean the one that you pleaded your parents to buy you when you were positive that you wanted to be an artistic film director?" Tino smirked.

"And then you didn't touch ever since you decided you wanted to be a poet the very next week?" Lor finished.

"Well now it's being put to good use." Tish defended.

"I don't know Tish," said Carver, "I don't think your whole camera will fit into the box."

"Try to stay with me here," Tish mocked, "I'm going to make a movie to put in the time capsule."

"Wow, Tish," Lor complemented, "That's a great idea, I was just going to put some baseball cards in it. You know, hoping that they would become really rare and valuable."

"Yeah," Tino added, "And I was just going to put in my Captain DreadNaught action figure with the laser lights and the 16 action phrases and… are you recording right now?"

"Yes." Tish answered with a smile from behind the lens of her camera. "We only have one week of summer left so what better time to start getting footage then right now?"

"Alright then." said Carver, "But wouldn't it be better if we were to actually do something as opposed to sitting around in Tino's basement talking about our little dollies."

"Action Figure!" Tino retorted.

"You're right." Tish said as she turned off her camera, "So what shall we do?"

"Um, I'm thinking somewhere along the lines of EVERYTHING!" Carver answered.

"Yeah," exclaimed Tino, "this is our last week before homework and studying. Let's do everything that we can possibly do between now and then! With Tish in the director's chair of course."

Tish let out a geeky little squeal, "Alright then, come on, we're burning daylight! Last week of summer, here we come!" She ordered as she led the group upstairs.

"I'll be right up." Tino called as Tish herded Lor and Carver.

Tino turned to us once more for another of his monologues. "Well, I've got to go now. Looks like we're going to be partying non stop all week. But hey, don't wait too long before checking in again, you know I love talking to you guys."

Tino was cut off by Tish calling from up the stairs, "Tino, stop breaking the fourth wall and come on already!"

"Look who's talking!" Tino shot back. "Well, wish me luck in Junior High. Later Days." He said to us with a wave before heading up the stairs.

The basement light flicked off and everything went dim. The only remaining light source was rays from the sun beaming through the basement window. The ray of light slowly panned across the floor, then went dark as day turned to night. Night soon turned to day and the ray of light once again made it's journey across the floor, only more hastily this time. Day became night, night became day. Faster and faster the cycle turned building up to a velocity so rapid that the window flickered like a movie reel. Weeks, months, years passed by in an instant. Finally, the wheels of time regained their true pace. In the basement, layers of dust have piled on immensely. Outside the window, trees have grown, houses have changed, but it was still the same old bright and cheerful Bahia Bay. A taxi cab pulled up in the driveway and a blond man in his mid twenties climbed out. The voice of an excited young boy could be heard in the dwelling upstairs, "He's here! He's here!"

Author's Notes:

Well I've finally gone and done it, I've begun my second Weekender fan fiction. This chapter obviously served as the prolog, pretty much illustrating that this is the end of innocence, their last days as care free children. Which I've always felt that the series was partially about. I've been wanting to write "Time Capsule" the moment I finished "Stop Staring at your Shoes", but I was afraid that it might come off as a rip-off of Malachite's "Awakening". But I'm sure it won't, seeing as "Time Capsule" takes place when the group is 24, while "Awakening" is about the group as teenagers.

The direction and ultimate plot of this story is still a bit shady, but I'm sure it will all come naturally as I write it. This story will most likely be longer than my previous- but I won't be updating it rapidly like last time, I'm going to pace myself with this one. Well, I can't say anymore at the moment as I don't want to leak any of the surprises.

On a final note, I have to toot my own horn with how I ended this chapter, seamlessly throwing the reader 12 years into the future. Especially the opened ended part about the voice of the young boy. I feel that a good amount of zonisum went into it. Well, R&R as always, Later days.

by the way, for those of you outside my chat circle, zonisum is a word I made up meaning the imaginative force evoked when an artist or writer is "in the zone".


	2. Visiting Family

Time Capsule

Beginning Note: Since Tino's mother's first name is never mentioned in the show (at least not in the episodes that I've seen), and neither is Dixon's last name, in my story I'll name Tino's mom Emese, which is a Hungarian name derived from Finno-Ugric word _eme_ meaning "mother" (I find it very fitting). And Dixon's last name will be Dickson… just because I think it would be funny. This is just so that I don't have to keep avoiding using said names- which would be very difficult in conversations between the two.

Chapter 2: Visiting Family

The breaks of the yellow cab made an irritating squeal as the vehicle pulled up to the dwelling. He dished out the cab fare and slid out of the back seat with his luggage. As he stood there, basking in the welcoming aura of his one true home, he fell lost in fond memories, until the front door flew open and an over zealous 10-year-old boy with fiery red hair came charging out. "Tino! Tino! Tino! Tino!" the young boy rapidly proclaimed.

"Dante!" Tino returned as he dropped his luggage and caught the boy in mid dive, giving him a big bear hug. "How's my favorite little brother?" He said while adoring his sibling with a nuggie. He was actually surprised to see how much his little bro had grown since he last saw him at Christmas.

Young Dante fidgeted out of the nuggie, "I'm your _only_ brother, Pumpkin Head!" He shot.

"Carrot Top!" Tino shot back with an immature little grin. Dante only responded by sticking his tongue out at him.

"Now Tino," Their mother called from the open doorway with her arm around Dixon, "Be nice to your little brother. If he's anything like his father, he'll grow up to be bigger and stronger than you some day."

"I know," Tino said, his line of sight not straying from his mother and step-father as he reached over and pulled Dante in for a grapple, "That's why I'm picking on him now, I might not get another chance."

Dixon couldn't help let out a little chuckle, Emese just sighed at him. One must admit, for a couple in their late 40's, those two didn't seem to have aged a day. If you don't account that Dixon's back has been giving him more problems as of late. Their preserved vitality could probably be credited to the Emese's cooking. Guess all that experimental health food really pays off in the end.

"Well come on in Champ," Dixon gestured, "I have to admit that I was surprised when you said that you'd be visiting this week. Usually you only grace our presence around the holidays."

"Usually that would be the case." Tino answered as he walked forward with his luggage, "but most of the work can be done on computers these days, so I'm no longer chained to the drafting table… not since I bought this baby." He illustrated by patting a large black carrying case at his side- obviously holding a very expensive laptop.

"COOL!" Dante proclaimed jumping around his big brother, "Do you have any games on it?"

"Ah, ah, ah… no." Tino lightly scolded, "This is for work only little D, not play."

Dante stopped and stared at him. The little boy had indeed inherited his mother's mind reading abilities, or perhaps Tino was just as transparent then as he had ever been. Tino tried to return the stare but was no match, "Okay I have Final Kingdom Tactics III on it." He admitted, "But you're still not touching it."

Dante only scoffed and carried on with his childlike manner, "Eh, strategy games are boring anyway." He said as he jumped to his mother's side.

"How are you doing sweetie?" His mother asked, "Are you eating alright? You look thin. How are you surviving in the big city?" She pressed in a very motherly fashion.

Before Tino could field her questions, Dixon chimed in, "Have you met any cute girls while in Florida?"

Emese nudged him on the shoulder, "Oh, you're terrible." She jested.

"What?" he returned in a very modest demeanor.

"I'm fine mom," Tino said, ignoring Dixon's comment, "I'm a big boy now, you can stop worrying about me."

"Oh I can't help it," she said as she fixed his collar, "It's a mother thing."

Once inside, Tino went and threw his luggage into the guest room. Going back downstairs, he sat down in the living room to enjoy the company of his family. Well, technically it wasn't a complete set without Moira… but that didn't matter to Tino. It wasn't that he didn't like Moira, it's just that they never really got used to the idea of being brother and sister. Breathing in his surroundings, he couldn't help feel how different the place looked. Considering that the last two times he had visited, there was a Christmas tree in the corner of the room and everything was laced with a green and red motif. Now everything bore a stronger resemblance to how it was when he first moved out. He resolved that it would be good to make a habit out of visiting more than just once a year.

He noticed a comic book sitting on the coffee table that apparently Dante had out… instinctively, Tino scooped it up and flipped to the back page. He scanned down the credits until he found what he was looking for- "Coloring and Inking by Tino Tonitini" It wasn't that he was making sure that they were giving him credit for his hard work… he just always felt his chosen career to be something of a childhood fantasy, but of course, someone has to do it.

His attention was then held by a light conversation with Dixon and Emese over coffee. Nothing of particular interest… just shooting the breeze. Talking about work, hobbies, life itself. It was so relaxing for him that he decided that he should ascent the day by taking a nice walk around the neighborhood after lunch. That and the household got kind of crowded (as compared to his one bedroom apartment back in Florida) when Dante brought some friends over to devise some insane plan to solve some sort of problem that befell them yesterday, but Tino was certain that it would all be rectified by tomorrow.

Little has changed in Bahia Bay… but then again, it has only been two years since he bid this town farewell. And only a little more than half a year since he last visited. So he wasn't expecting any drastic change. Aimlessly, he dotted around to all of the places that held some kind of fond memory to him. His old middle school, his old high school, the community college, his first apartment. Then to locations which held deeper memories… like the boardwalk in front of the Snack Shack, the theater, that old tree where he and his friends used to……… his friends.

Wow, that was a thought he hasn't entertained in quite a while. He began to wonder what they were doing now. Well, he knew Carver made a name for himself designing shoes for Tommy Hugo, Tino was there when he got the job offering. But he hasn't been in contact with him in so long. Lor just… left that day, with little more than a goodbye. He still can't comprehend her decision. And Tish… no, he couldn't go there. Just fathoming her image nearly woke up something painful inside him.

His memories were no longer safe for him… he sot to find something in his environment that wasn't familiar. Marching away from the tree which seemed to mock him so, Tino caught an odd sight- perhaps what he was looking for. "Huh," he said out loud, "I don't remember a pub being there."

Escaping the world outside, Tino ventured within this fine drinking establishment. It had a nice and friendly atmosphere. Sitting down at the bar, he looked around, absorbing his surroundings.

"What'll you have?" the bartender asked.

"Um, I'll just have a beer- Griffin Original." Tino answered, only giving the bartender half of his attention as he fished out his wallet to see if he had the cash on him. "Aw crap, I'll have to hit an ATM first."

"No worries, it's on the house." The bartender said while sliding Tino his drink.

"Gee, um are you sure that's alright?." Tino mustered, slightly taken back by the act of generosity bestrode upon him by a perfect stranger. Perhaps Tino thought that his gracious host was just being overly friendly, or was having a really good day.

"Hey, anything for a friend." The bartender added, leaning over the counter to force eye-contact.

Tino looked directly at the bartender for the first time to give a proper thank you "Well thank yo-……… LOR?"

Indeed it was her, the tomboy he grew up with. She was the same person, but she seemed so different from the plucky 19-year-old that he last remembered her as. She now gave off a worldlier aura, like her life has been an adventure since then. The biggest change, physically, that first jumped out at Tino was her hair. Though keeping it the same length and style that she always had, it was now bleached blonde, save for her bangs, which she grew out and inch or two longer than the rest of her hair and dyed a daring purple.

She donned an alluring grin and said, "Took you long enough, it's good to see you Tino."

Author's notes:

And I think I'll end it there for now. There you go then, this is what Tino's life is like now. I think I made him pretty well off, maintaining a healthy relationship with his family despite having obligations in another state. And I hope I've left enough mystery as to what's going on with the rest of the group to entice you (except for Attic Man, Malachite, and GD, they know exactly what's going on).

I just have to say that the character Dante is very much based off my own little half-brother David, red hair and all… Shout out to Little D! WOO! Well, except that Little David loves strategy games and the like… he always kicks my keester five times to next Sunday in Rise of Nations.

Well, I can't think of anymore to say about this chapter, and I want to post it up before I call it a night so… Later Days.


	3. Flashback: The Day She Left

Time Capsule

Chapter 3: Flashback- Age 19- "The Day She Left"

Beginning notes: Fist, allow me to explain the nature of this chapter. As you have doubtlessly figured out by the title, this chapter does not follow the previous chapter chronologically. It is in fact the first of many Flashback chapters; a chapter that jumps back several years (between the ages of 12 and 24) to give the readers some deeper insight to a significant event that took place in the characters' lives. I came up with this idea during the early stages of plot development when Lord Malachite suggested that I start from the conclusion and work backwards. One other thing, the Flashback chapters will not be written in any chronological order- but instead be written as the subject matter of the regular chapters call upon them. You can always tell when each flashback chapter takes place because I'll display the average age of the main characters in the title. Well, I hope you enjoy this Flashback chapter, and I shall return to the present in the next chapter.

"Have you come to say one last goodbye?" she asked, her over-stuffed travel pack perched on her back, the airport swarming with people of no real significance. She thought that everyone had already said their goodbyes and left… but apparently he came back. She had to admire his persistence.

Tino stared directly at her, not answering but clearly annoyed that she treated this situation so light-heartedly.

"Or have you come to reenact that scene from Casablanca?" she asked half jokingly.

Tino shook his head, "No Lor. In that movie, Humphrey _wanted_ the girl to get on that plane."

Lor cocked her head to the side and scoffed, "Hmm, so you've come all this way to tell me that I'm making the biggest mistake of my life, is that it? Well go ahead, indulge yourself. There's nothing you can say now that hasn't already been said."

"Well you are!" Tino pressed regardless, "Not only are you passing up the biggest opportunity of your life, but you're also abandoning your family… and your friends. For what? To fulfill some stupid little dream of yours to backpack around Europe?"

"_I'm_ being stupid?" She retorted, "What about you? Content to stay in the same old town, with the same old people for the rest of your life. You're like a child who doesn't want to grow up. Do you really think you can stay in your happy little dream world by having us all go to the same community college together? You may have convinced Carver, but even Tish wouldn't…" she cut herself off, "… oh… sorry."

"It's okay," Tino lied, not wanting to drift onto that subject, "I've gotten over it, and we promised each other that we wouldn't let it ruin our friendship."

Lor donned a more sympathetic approach, "Look, Tino. You are one of my very best friends. And we have been like that ever since we were in the first grade… but it's time for me… for all of us to move on. You can't blame me for taking the first step."

"It's not entirely that." Tino responded, "I'm just worried about you. For as long as I've known you, whenever you get a goal in sight, you get tunnel vision. You ignore the big picture and just focus on what you want… Even when everyone around you is telling you that you're making a mistake. I just want you to stop and think about what you're doing. This is one of the most deciding moments in your life. Do you really want to take this path?"

Lor was shocked, something in his words struck deeper than she ever thought they would. For the first time, she truly felt that she needed to justify herself. "You think this is just a game to me don't you… everyone else does." She began, "But I _am_ taking this seriously. I have thought about it for a long time… I have asked myself over and over again why I don't just stay here and go to college with you and Carver…" She faded out, her mouth couldn't keep up with all her thoughts and emotions.

"Then why?" was all Tino could muster out in hopes that it would persuade her.

"I just… I feel that if I go to college with you two, I'd only end up dropping out or barely skim by with passing grades. Because it's not something that I want, it never was. I want to go out and see the world for what it is- with my own eyes. As opposed to sitting in a classroom reading about someone else who did it, I want to _be_ that someone… do you understand?"

Tino stuttered, she had indeed justified herself, but he still didn't want her to go, he clung onto his last bid of reasoning. "Why do you have to go now? Why can't you just wait?"

Lor actually cracked a slight smile, she was flattered that their friendship truly meant that much to him… but regardless, her mind was made up. "Because I have nothing holding me back right now." She explained, "I'm fresh out of high school, I don't have a place of my own yet, or any other obligations what would chain me down to this simple little beach side town. It's basically now or never for me."

She saw that Tino was still not satisfied with her explanation, so she pressed on, "Okay, say that I did go to college." She humored, "In that time, I'd probably get in a relationship, move into my own place, and have a job. And then afterwards I might end up getting married and having a child (hopefully in that order). And where would I be then? Too old and too tied down to do anything about it. I'm afraid that if I don't do this now, I would end up regretting it for the rest of my life."

Now Tino really _was_ out of questions. There was nothing more he could say to try and change her mind… this is what she truly wanted, and it would be selfish of him to tell her otherwise. He was about to give voice to these thoughts when a professional sounding feminine voice chimed over the intercom "Flight 266 to Russia will be boarding in 20 minutes… will all passengers on flight 266 to Russia please pass through security, if you have not done so already, and proceed to gate 12… thank you."

Lor, whom had her head turn up to look at the clock, brought her attention back down to Tino. "I have to go now… goodbye Tino… we'll always be friends."

Tino was at a loss for words, all he could say was "Yeah… goodbye, Lor." And extend his hand for a friendly hand shake.

To his surprise, Lor returned the gesture with a full on hug. Tino was shocked at first but then returned the expression by resting his hands on her back. He had no idea that Lor could be so warm. All he wanted now was to have time itself to go away and to live in this moment forever- just so that he would never have to experience what he knew would happen next. Eventually, Lor had to pulled herself away from him. She wore a smile for him but her eyes were glossed over with tears… in her final words to him, she simply said "I'll miss you."

And with that she ran off to go through security before she missed her flight. Tino could only stand there… lost to the world. He wanted to chase after her but his legs wouldn't move. He wanted to yell out to her but the words got stuck in his throat. All he could do was deliver an awkward wave as yet another piece of his life faded away. It was only once Lor was out of sight that he was finally able to force out the words, "Please don't go."

Author's Notes:  
Ah, yes, el-shorto-chapterious. Actually, I think this is the shortest chapter I've written to date… but remember ladies, it's not the size of your updates, it's what you do with them ;-). And I only envisioned this one scene for the entire flashback. Well, I really can't think of anything to say about this chapter. I could go into what it took for me to write it… but I feel the content speaks for itself. All I can say is although I am the writer behind this little drama, I can't help but feel sad for Tino as all that he's known in his life is gradually slipping away… just something to think about. Well, read and review as always… but seriously, review. Receiving reviews (good or bad ones) is one of the best parts of writing. Please and thank you… Later Days.


	4. Life's Not Fair

Time Capsule

Chapter 4: Life's not Fair

"Took you long enough, it's good to see you Tino." She said with an alluring grin, expecting to get such a warm expression back, but Tino only stared at her like a dear caught in the head lights. Gradually, it began to make her feel self-conscious "What? Aren't you glad to see me?"

It was like a ghost stood before him, "G-glad to see you?" He echoed, "Try: in total shock! Five years Lor! Five years with nothing more from you save for the monthly post card… and even those all stopped years ago. And then POOF! Here you are right in front of me acting like you never left!"

"Geez, with such a warm reception I wonder why I even came back!" She retorted, clearly offended.

Tino took a moment to reexamine his approach, "Okay, look, I'm sorry, that didn't come out right." He apologized, "You just caught me off guard that's all. But sometimes, I thought that maybe you had forgotten about me… or worse."

Lor was actually touched, "Wow, I had no idea those post cards meant so much to you." She said apologetically. "But you don't have to worry about me, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself… and I would never, ever forget a friend like you."

"…Thanks." Tino smiled, realizing that he was going about this the wrong way, he should be happy to see her, not spiteful. "But the last post card I got from you was almost 4 years ago, and in it you said you were in Italy and planning to return to the states soon… so where have you been?"

"Here and there." She answered very matter-of-fact, "But up until two months ago I lived in Los Angeles."

"Right here in California the whole time?" Tino asked with astonishment.

"No, not the whole time. I lived in New York when I first got back from Europe and slowly made my way across the country over the years. Coming full circle I guess."

"So what brought you back to Bahia Bay?"

"Well…" she began to regale Tino with her story when she was cut off by a voice calling from the kitchen.

"Lor!" the man called, "What are you doing? You've got customers waiting."

"Oops, sorry Eddy." Lor called back. She then turned back to Tino. "Well, I'd love to tell you everything, but as you can see I'm working right now."

"That's alright," Tino said, not wanting Lor to get into any trouble, "I should get going anyways."

"Wait Tino," Lor interrupted, "I want you to come by tomorrow night, same time. I've only got a morning shift tomorrow so we can sit and talk."

"Sure, that sounds great." Tino responded.

"And I _may_ have a little surprise for you." She hummed with a knowing grin on her face.

"A surprise? Ooh what is it" Tino asked with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm.

"You'll have to wait and see." Lor teased.

"Alright, tomorrow, same time, I'll be here." Tino grinned, but then stopped himself as he was about to make his exit "And Lor."

"Yes?"

"It's good to see you too."

Tino stepped outside the pub, into the sidewalk. He couldn't deny that he did feel better. As if seeing Lor after all these years gave him some kind of closure. The sound of the world was added upon by the distance roar of a jet engine far off in the distance. Tino casually looked up to try and pin-point the source in the sky. It was a 747, crossing right overhead. Often entertained is the curiosity as to the people on those planes. A slight inkling as to who they are and where they are going. A thought Tino soon dismissed as his eyes began to strain from the blinding sun… she on the other hand, could easily block out the sun by simply pulling down the blind ever so conveniently within an inch's reach in her airline seat. Everything was within an inch's reach, possibly the only compensation for having no room to move. She didn't really like flying, or traveling much for that matter.

The conclusion of her endeavor was signaled as the pilot buzzed over the intercom "Attention passengers, we'll be landing at the Bahia County Airport in about 15 minutes. Please secure all your belongings and put your seats into the full upright position. We'd like to thank you for flying with Ojeta Airlines and we hope that…" The pilot carries on with the usual pleasantries.

"Thank God." She said to herself. Within a few minutes, she could feel the vessel begin its descent. This was the part that she hated the most. Until she was safe on the ground, she plugged her ears with her pinky fingers and held her head still in her palms, swallowing hard whenever she could feel her ears popping regardless of her efforts.

Once the world had stopped moving, she waited patently for the people in front of her to exit the plane first, despite the fact that her legs were begging to begin walking again. Soon enough, she stepped out of the hallway and into the main area of the airport, her carry on luggage in hand filled with work related essentials that she took the time to go through during her flight. She was supposed to meet Carver there to drive into town. As she darted her head around trying to find that familiar face she hasn't looked upon for so long, her attention was finally grabbed by a tall, well dressed man holding a sign of comical length almost as tall as him which read "Pertratishkovna Katsufracis".

Approaching the man, she smiled and said, "You really didn't have to do that, and you spelled my last name wrong."

Setting the sign up against a wall, he greeted his old friend with open arms, "Tish, it's so good to see you! It has been too long!"

"It's good to see you too Carver," she said shyly, "you look good." And indeed he did, clearly sporting the pinnacle of fashion and wearing it well. Which was more than she could say about herself.

Tish quickly did a once over on herself as soon as Carver turned away, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her outfit. Seeing Carver in all his success made her feel incredibly self-conscious, and she took a deep breath to relax. She knew how to carry herself. She would not allow herself to be intimidated by one of her oldest friends, especially when it wasn't his intent. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." Tish expressed.

"Nah, your flight came in on time. I just hung out in the bar and had a sandwich until I heard them announce your flight's arrival. Speaking of which, how was your flight?"

"Uneventful." Tish said flatly. She's spent the entire time grading papers. It was just like being at home, except for being cramped into a tiny seat with no wiggle room and starving to death because the airline only provided snacks instead of full meals.

"Well, I guess that's good. Excitement when you're twenty thousand feet in the air can be kind of dangerous."

"That's for sure. A little bump and you wonder if you're going to make it. So, where are you staying while you're in town?"

"I'm put up at the Bahia Marina Inn." Carver smiled. "Man, that place is swank! I'll have you guys over as guests tonight or something. The Jacuzzi is to die for! What about you?"

Tish had to take a moment to pick her jaw up off the floor. Clearly, she had underestimated Carver's situation by a long shot. She knew he was doing well, but this was beyond anything she could imagine. "Me? Oh, um, well, you see, I, uh, decided to just find a bed and breakfast or something after I got here. I'm sure there's a vacancy somewhere."

"Oh, that's cool, that's cool." Carver responded. "Well, if you have trouble finding a place, you can crash with me if you want. I have a whole extra bedroom in my suite that's not being used."

"Um, thanks. I'll try to remember that."

After the rest of Tish's luggage rolled around, they left the airport to drive into Bahia Bay. She almost couldn't compose herself when she saw Carver's car, it was a beautiful, brand new, jet black sports car with all the bells and whistles. Just like in the difference between their clothing, this car stood miles above the tiny little clunker she drove back home- which she aptly named "Old Yeller" because it was fit to be taken out and shot. She had to remind herself not to be intimidated.

During the drive, Tish tried to strike up a conversation. "So, it looks like you're doing quite well for yourself." She said as she secretly skated an envious finger along her leather arm rest.

"No complaints." He admitted very modestly, "Who knew that I would actually land it designing shoes for Tommy Hugo. I still owe Dixon for that letter of recommendation, he rocks." Slightly boasting that time.

"Well, it looks like all your dreams have come true." She said with a bit of spitefulness accidentally slipping into her voice.

"I suppose it pays well, it's not all that glamorous." He responded, downplaying his success, perhaps catching a bit of the green eyed monster that Tish thought she could hide. "So what about you? I mean you were the one who went to university, you must be doing something good with yourself as well."

"… I teach." She answered, trying to dodge that subject.

"You mean you're a teacher?" Carver asked to clarify.

"well, um, actually, what I meant to say is that I'm a … a… university professor… yeah," she exaggerated, "I'm even the head of the English department." Now she was just lying through her teeth. She knew that she really shouldn't be ashamed or dishonest about it. But how could she tell Carver, in all his success, that all she could do with a university degree is become a High School English teacher. After all, she left with so much promise, so many dreams… where are those dreams now? She tried, and failed, and this was the best she could do to make a living.

Carver's cell phone began ringing, without taking his eyes off the road, he pulled a small earpiece with a microphone on it from a device, between the two seats, up to his ear and pressed the talk button on his cell, which was propped up in the device that he pulled the earpiece from. "Hello?……oh hey Lor wasn't new?…….really?……wow, I didn't think Tino was much of a pub person." Unnoticed to Carver, Tish snapped to attention when she heard his name, "So…….yeah?……that's cool. It'll probably be a bigger surprise for him that way…….ha-ha, Yeah, I could so see him doing that…….Okay, we're just on our way into town, see you there, bye." He placed the earpiece back and pressed the 'end' button on his cell.

"That was Lor," He began, stating the obvious, "Just a slight change of plans- instead of surprising Tino at his house tomorrow, we'll be meeting Lor at the Rose Street Pub around 3 o'clock to surprise him there."

"Okay." Tish confirmed pretending to give Carver her full attention when in fact she was still hanging on the idea of seeing Tino tomorrow. How could she possibly bring herself to face him, after what she has done. How would Tino take seeing her? She was surprised at herself, coming all this way and not thinking about this until right now. Now it hung over her head, how do you talk casually with someone… when you broke their heart?

Author's Notes:  
Another chapter up, I feel this was a nice re-introduction to the characters Tish and Carver. I thought it would make things interesting to have it so that Carver becomes very successful while Tish is… not. I have to give big credit to Malachite, during a chat session a few nights ago, I was stricken with writer's block of the worst kind so he wrote the scene from when Tish meets Carver to just before she picks up the rest of her luggage. It really got me going into this chapter, thanks. And expect to see some more scenes written by him as the story goes on, because every night that I get a chance to, I chat with him on how this story should pan out. He already wrote a very…_interesting_ scene that I have saved and will hopefully work into the story sooner or later.

Another note, in light from the criticism as to me naming Tino's mother, from this point on I will only use the name Emese when it is completely unavoidable, happy now? Okay. Later days.


	5. They Finally Meet

Time Capsule

Chapter 5: They Finally Meet

"Who am I kidding?" She asked herself as Carver drove away. As per her request, he had dropped her off in front of her old home with her luggage. She had protested that she just wanted to visit her folks, then take a long walk around town and take her time comparing the prices and quality of the local accommodations. It seems that she just got there and already she wanted to be alone. Of course Carver felt her request to be odd, he even objected to it, but she stuck by her story… even if it was just an excuse.

It seemed that she had a perfectly good reason for this lie as well. She had no intent on trying to find a hotel, a bed and breakfast, or even a motel for that matter. She had spent almost all of her spare money on the flight and the return tickets. If she had to pay for accommodations for that whole week, she'd be broke. But she certainly couldn't let Carver know. A 'university professor', as she claimed to be, wouldn't have such a tiny wallet. No, this is where she was, and this was where she would be staying. She constantly wondered if she could keep up this facade for the entire week, and why she felt she needed to.

She washed away such thoughts by drinking in the sights, smells, and sounds of her childhood home. Even after five years it was the same characteristic little dwelling that she remembered. That alone was enough to make she feel better. She walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. No one answered right away, she immediately began to get anxious. She had not called ahead, and for that matter she never visited once since she left… what if they weren't home, or what if they already had guests staying and wouldn't have room for her. Such fears were chased away when her mother opened the door.

"Hi momma." Tish smiled.

"Tishy?… Tishy!" her mother exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around her little girl. "Is so good to see my little Sweet Pea again! Why you no call and say you are coming?"

"I um, wanted it to be a surprise." Tish shrugged.

"Well you sure surprised momma. Look at you, I see looney-verse-silly make you a grown woman! Put big smarts into your pretty head."

"University momma." Tish corrected, like she had to do all the time.

"Is what I said." Her mother responded like always. "Come, come. Papa and I were just in backyard working on garden. We almost no hear you at the door."

Her mother led her in just as her father came in from the backyard. "What is all the ruckus?" He asked as he entered the room, wiping soil from his hands. "What ever you're selling we… TISHY!" This time Tish didn't get a chance to say hello before her father ran up and gave her a bigger hug than her mother's. "My little girl has finally come home!"

"Just for the week papa." Tish wheezed through the suffocating embrace "…AIR!"

"Oh, sorry." Her father finally put her down, "But we no see you since we fly all the way down for your graduation. Tell me, what you doing since then?"

"I'm a teacher." Tish answered frankly. Finally, someone she didn't have to lie to.

"Ha-ha! Is good! Teaching is noble profession! You grow up to be just like your old man yes?"

"Um, well. Not exactly like you." Tish smiled modestly, "I'm only a high school teacher."

"Eh, teacher, professor. It makes no difference. As long as you are doing what makes you happy. And you are happy, is right?"

"…Yeah, I'm happy." Tish answered flatly.

Her mother shook her head, "My little Sweet Pea can't fool momma. That is not face of happy girl. What is troubling you?"

"No, no, it's nothing Momma," Tish defended, faking gleefulness, "It was just a long flight, and I have a bit of jet-lag, that's all."

"You have a jet for a leg?" Her mother questioned.

"Jet-lag," Tish repeated, "It just means that my sleep cycle is thrown off from changing time zones. I just need to lay down for a bit and I'll be fine… Do… you have a guest room for me?"

"Guest room?" Her father laughed, "Nonsense, you stay in your old bedroom, just like always."

"You mean you still have it?" Tish questioned.

"Of course we do. No matter what, you will always have a home here Tishy."

Tish giggled, "thank you Papa."

It wasn't until Tish was alone in her childhood room that she began to feel alienated again. It was truly like she had left it, save for the bulk of her personal belongings that she took with her to university. Her mother even came in once in a while and cleaned everything to keep it from getting dusty. A task weird to some but she knew that her mother was just being eccentric and probably stricken with empty nest syndrome since she had left. Time marched on but it somehow stood still for this little room. As she looked around, her mind could almost bring to flesh the memories this room had to offer. She could clearly remember the time that she and her friends stayed up all night watching romantic movies until they were all sick of them. Tish couldn't help sighing to herself, where had that little girl gone? Where was the artist? The poet? The play-write? All washed away by the current of time and the harsh reality of the world. It was at this point, drowning in memories of a happier, simpler life, that Tish wanted nothing more than to give it all away and be a child again. To try and block out the reminders around her, she plopped herself down on her bed, placed her glasses on the nightstand, and curled herself up. She closed her eyes but sleep did not come easily to her. She kept getting this haunting feeling that the little girl was watching over her, curious as to the stranger in her bed. Eventually, the sun set, and rose the next morning.

Around the agreed meeting time, Carver made is way down the sidewalk from where he had parked his car. He was so absorbed into his cell phone conversation that he almost walked right past the pub. "Yes mom, no mom, yes mom… yeeees mom, alright mom, no mom, listen I've got to go now… Mom, don't make me say it. Okay, I love you too." He ended the call just as a pair of hot girls walked past him laughing at his expense. Carver shook his head in self-defeat, "Man, that was not cool."

He then spotted Tish walking down the sidewalk from the other direction. "Hey, perfect timing Tish, I just got here myself. Are you psyched for this?"

"Yeah," Tish agreed, "I'm looking forward to seeing Lor."

"And Tino." Carver reminded.

"… Yeah, of course, Tino too." Tish said, faking innocence.

She was about to enter the pub when Carver placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to lie to him too?"

Tish was flabbergasted, "What? But I- how did you?"

"Come on Tish, I've known you since we were in the first grade." Carver lectured, "And if there's one thing I've learned is to know when you're lying." Tish averted her gaze. "Look, I know that you two have been through some… _things_, and I know that your life isn't what you expected it to be… but I don't want you walking in there acting like someone you're not. This is a reunion, we're here to have fun."

Tish scoffed and brushed his hand off. "I know how to act in public thank you very much." And with that she pushed the door open and walked inside.

Carver stood there for a moment before following suit. "Why do I even bother?"

Lor turned her head up when she heard the door swing open, as she has been doing for the past 10 minutes. "Finally." She proclaimed as she jumped from the bar stool to greet her old friends. "What took you so long?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around both of them at the same time.

"We're not late are we?" Carve ask as he looked at his watch.

Lor giggled, "Only by five years… look at you man! Don't tell me that you've gotten taller! I bet you could play a mean game of hoops!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty good." Carver gloated.

"And Tish," Lor smiled as she turned to her other friend, "You look gorgeous, I love what you've done with your hair. Brains and beauty, you must have had to beat those frat boys off with a stick."

"I just tied it back in a ponytail and left a little hang from the sides of my hairclips, it's nothing special." Tish said modestly. "Um… is Tino here yet?" She asked with a bit of anxiety.

"Nope." Lor explained. "It's just been little Lor all alone, so far."

"That's a relief." Tish sighed, then noticed that all eyes were on her. "Um, I mean, that we didn't miss him. Because that would've been bad! Yeah!"

"Ignore her." Carver shook his head, apologizing for Tish's erratic behavior.

"Okay." Lor grinned. "So anyway, what are you guys drinking?"

Now it was Carver's turn to smile. "I'll have a martini straight up. No olive."

"Gotcha. And I'm almost afraid to ask what you'll be like with a little hooch in you, but what do you want, Tish?"

"Scotch on the rocks. A double." Tish replied, adjusting her glasses.

Carver's eyes went wide and Lor coughed considerably. "Tish?" asked Lor, wearing a concerned expression.

"What?"

"N-nothing, I just thought you'd want something, y'know, a little lighter?"

"What, I'm only allowed to drink wine coolers now or something? I'm older than you are."

"We've got some Zima in the back." Lor offered.

"I'd rather have what I ordered, thank you!" Tish said pointedly, losing her patience.

"Fine, fine, far be it for me to tell you what to drink." She shrugged before turning her attention to a waitress whom just happened to be walking by with an empty tray. "Hey Arlene, could you lay down a James Bond zip-line, no leprechauns and a pair of Scottish twins in Alcatraze?"

The woman stared at Lor for a moment with a raised eyebrow. "Lor, I have no idea what you just said. I told you that people only talk like that in the movies." She then went about her business.

Lor turned back to Tish and Caver. "She's new." She whispered, "I'll just go get it myself. I have a table reserved over there by the window, make yourselves comfortable and I'll be right back."

Tish and Carver walked over to the table and sat in two of the four awaiting chairs. While waiting for Lor to join them with their drinks, Carver couldn't help notice that Tish was tapping her finger angrily with a pouting look on her face. "Something on your mind?" He asked.

Tish snapped at him "I don't need you two hovering over me all night. I told you I know how to behave in public."

Carver leaned back and pinged his fork with is finger. "Clearly." He shot, dueled with a very harsh and sarcastic glare.

"And just what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Tish asked in a huff, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Just curious if that was your way of saying 'I promise to act like a mature responsible adult tonight and just have fun'". Carver answered mockingly.

Tish glared at him. He only returned a calm look, waiting patiently for her response. The stand off lasted until Lor returned. "Okay guys, drinks all around. Now all we're missing is our fourth and final comrade. Is everyone geared up for a good time?"

Tish took her drink from the tray and without taking her eyes off of Carver's, answered "I promise." She then held her glass up to him and bowed slightly, adding a bit of mockery of her own.

"Okay, um, I promise to be geared up too." Lor shrugged, blissfully unaware as to the true aim of Tish's words.

Tish took a quick gulp of her drink and then set it back on the table as she rose from her seat. "I'll be right back, just need to use the rest room."

"Okay, I'm pretty sure that the human bladder doesn't work that quickly." Carver smirked.

"Relax, I've just got to go blow my nose." She answered without even a hint of malice.

Not two minutes after she carried herself off, the guest of honor journeyed into the pub. "Lor?" He asked as he darted his head around.

Lor stood up and waved her arm in the air "Dude, over here!"

"Alright!" Tino exclaimed as he made his way over "So What's this surprise you had in store for me?"

"I'm curious too." Carver smiled fully realizing that Tino hadn't noticed him sitting right to his side.

"Yeah I… Carver! Oh my God, you're my surprise?" Tino exclaimed with open arms. "Wow man, how's my old college buddy doing?"

"Cool man." Carver grinned, "But I'm only half of your surprise."

"Half?" Tino questioned.

"Yeah, part two is coming right back, she just went to the restroom." Lor added.

"She?" Tino echoed.

Lor pointed behind Tino to direct his attention. Following her finger, Tino spun around to come face-to-face with Tish. He recoiled, almost backing right into the table. He was really caught off guard, even though he should have been expecting this. His breath went cold and the back of his neck went warm. He couldn't begin to fathom the words to greet her… He had finally accepted that she was out of his life forever, and now that she stood before him once more, a flurry of repressed feelings and memories cam rushing back. Among them, was the memory of that haunting day…

Author's Notes:  
FINALLY! For some odd reason that is completely beyond me, I have been struggling with this chapter straight from the first line to the last, which is why this one took to long to update. Honestly, I felt like a bulldozer trying to catch a butterfly. But I'm not going to waste your time by trying to say that his chapter isn't any good. I'll let you be the judge of that. Odd isn't it, in the series, Tish was always the motherly one to the group and Carver was the one who needed to be reminded of how to carry himself. Now it seems like the roles are reversed. But Lor is still Lor and Tino is still Tino. Which I think works out just fine, and it keeps thing nice and unpredictable while at the same time not abandoning what makes the characters' who they are. What's going to happen next? What is this horrible event that seems to be lingering between Tino and Tish? And why am I asking you all these questions? Tune in next time folks, same bat time, same bat channel… Later days.


	6. Flashback: Prophet and Loss

Time Capsule

Chapter 6: Flashback- Age 18- "Prophet and Loss"

Tino paced back and forth in his bedroom. It was late in the evening, he was just studying for final exams when he got the call from Tish. She told him that she had something that she needed to discuss with him, and that she'd be over shortly. Although he had only been waiting for about 20 minutes, fear and anxiety loomed over him. Usually, when your girlfriend wants to 'discuss' something with you, it means that you did something really bad. Countless scenarios played through his mind… save for the idea that Tish could be pregnant. And even then he knew it wouldn't be his. They haven't taken their relationship to that level yet.

Looking at his watch for the hundredth time, his attention was finally drawn by the door opening. His mother lead Tish through then asked her, "Are you sure you two will be alright?". Tish nodded her head faintly and his mother closed the door. Leaving the two alone.

Tino walked up and ran his palm along Tish's cheek, bringing her gaze to meet his, "Tish, is everything alright?"

"Yes… and no." She sighed deeply, shying her eyes away from his. She held an envelope in her hand, the edge was torn open.

"What's this?" Tino questioned as he tried to take the envelope from her hand. But she recoiled before he could grab it and anxiously gripped the envelope in both hands.

"It's… my acceptance letter." She confessed.

"For what? For Bahia Bay Community College?"

"No… for university. I- I'm sorry Tino. But I'm not going to college with you or the others."

Tino rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I can't say that I'm not surprised. So you're enrolled at the university that your dad works at." He assumed, "That's fine I guess. I mean, it's not like we'll never see each other again."

His words twisted inside Tish like a jagged knife. It only made it harder for her to break it to him. "Tish," Tino pressed, "what aren't you telling me?" She couldn't find the words to tell him that would not break him. So, with her eyes fixated to the floor, she simply handed him the envelope.

Tino took the offering and cautiously looked over it. His eyes bolted wide open the moment he read the return address. "Washington State! Tish, what the hell?"

"Please don't take it the wrong way." Tish cringed, fully expecting such an abrasive response.

"Well, how do you want me to take it? Be all smiles and candy and wish you luck as you walk out of my life?" he retorted.

"Tino please stop it," She pleaded, "I didn't do it to hurt you."

"Could have fooled me! Why not go to Harvard if you were trying to get away form me? It's certainly good enough for you and it's clear across the God damn country!"

"Stop it!" she screamed, "I said I'm not doing it to hurt you! God, you're acting like I cheated on you!"

"Well you might as well have!" he shot, flinging his arms in the air and turning his back to her. "…How long till you were planning on even telling me that you were applying to schools out of state?" He asked with crossed arms.

"Tino, you have to calm down! Let's discuss this rationally."

"How? There's nothing to discuss, Tish! We had a deal, you decided you weren't going to keep it."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I really am. But I just... I want more, Tino. I want more than California can offer me."

"And what about me! Are you saying that I'm not good enough for you either?"

"I would never say that!" Tish felt deeply hurt that he could even think such a thing about her. "Tino, please. This isn't about you and me. It's about me wanting to better myself. Have a little faith in us, can't you? Do you think so little of our relationship that a few years and a few miles will ruin it!"

"It will, Tish. You know it just as well as I do. We say we'll stay close and write every day, call every night. And maybe we'll start that way. But stuff will come up and sooner or later, we'll find we just don't have time for each other anymore."

"Well that's just great, isn't it Tino? What are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know." Tino answered, sitting on his bed. He looked up at a very awkward Tish and sighed. "Don't go, Tish. We'll figure something else out."

"I have to go!" Tish protested. "Tino. . .this is my chance. This is what my whole life has been leading up to ever since I started school! This is what I've been preparing for since first grade! This is my shot to make my dreams come true! You can't just expect me to give that up."

"There was a time when you used to say the same about us." Tino said quietly. "That this was what your life had been leading up to."

"Oh come on, Tino, you can't hold me accountable for every promise we've made while in the throes of making out!"

"I thought that meant something to you, Tish."

"It does! It's just. . .look, this is more important right now, okay? We have our whole lives to spend together if we want to. But if I don't go to the right schools now, how am I ever going to make something of myself?"

"Why can't we make something of ourselves right here!"

"Is that what you really want for us? To just be average?" Tish pleaded. "To settle for less than we could be because it was easier. I am not that kind of person, Tino. I'll whither away and die like that." Tish sat next to him, placing her arms on his shoulders. "Don't do this. Don't make me choose between this and you."

"I'm not making you choose." Tino turned away from her look. "You are."

"So this is it isn't it? You washing you hands of this whole thing and leaving it entirely up to me?"

He stood up and let out a sigh, "Tish, you know that I would want nothing more than for you to be happy, but I always envisioned that your happiness would include me."

"It does."

"No it doesn't!" He spat, "If it was than you wouldn't be doing this! Why don't you just admit it, that I'm simply a high school romance and that I have no place in your grand plan!"

"And what do you think of us?" she asked, "How long did you think we'd be together?"

"Forever." He answered flatly.

"Ha! Well I'd hate to be the one to break this to you. But there is no such thing as forever. Things wear out, things die, and everything has an ending. It's inevitable, and the more we deny it, the more painful it's going to be when it does end. I know how you must feel about this. I know that you got hurt like this before. And that's why I trying to make this as gentle for you as possible."

"What, just so you can prove to me that you're not like _her_!"

"No, it's because I truly love you. And in the perfect world, I wouldn't have to choose between you and my education."

"Yeah, and I had that perfect world all planned out! You, me, Lor, and Carver. We'd all go to BBCC and…"

"And then what?" she interrupted, "You'd have all of us move into the same house in this town? And stay there for the rest of our lives?"

"You make it sound like I'm imprisoning you."

She didn't answer, just gave him a look as if to say that he answered his own question. Tino looked at her then began pacing again, trying to collect his thoughts. "Fine then, just go." He said coarsely.

"Tino, what are you saying?"

"I'm not going to hold you back anymore, go off and pursue your dream." He said with his back turned.

Tish ran up to him, gripped him by the shoulder, and spun him around to look at her, "Are you saying that you're breaking up with me?" she asked, her voice cracking on the last words.

"That's why you came here tonight isn't it? To end our relationship."

"No I didn't!" She pleaded as she buried her face into his chest, "Just because I won't be here with you, doesn't mean that it's over between us."

"No Tish, it is why you came here. You said it yourself. The more we deny it, the more painful it'll be when it's time to let go."

"God damn it, stop twisting my words and stop being so damn rational about it!" She screamed, pounding his chest with her fists.

"What do you care anymore? Aren't you going to leave me?"

"NO!" Tish yelled. "Stop saying these things, please! Just stop! We're better than this, Tino. We've always been better! We've always been so in love, haven't we? We cannot do this to each other!"

"I think it's already done."

"If you love me. If you really love me, then you know that a few hundred miles isn't going to stop that. Nothing can stop that unless you let it."

"I didn't stop it." Tino insisted. "You did."

"I've done know such thing."

"But you have!" Tino hollered, not wanting to look at Tish because it hurt so much, but forcing himself to anyway. "You betrayed me, Tish. Why would you do that?"

"I didn't betray you." Tish pleaded. "I would never do something to intentionally hurt you."

"How else am I supposed to feel! You didn't even tell me. You went and applied to that school behind my back. So what would you have done if they hadn't accepted you? Just never told me and pretend that everything was normal? You could've talked to me about it first. If this is what you really wanted, if it meant this much to you, I would've given you my blessing."

"Well maybe I didn't because I knew you would act this way! I'm sorry Tino, but I'm your girlfriend, not your property! I don't feel that I need your permission to live my life the way I want to!"

"You don't need my permission! But these are the kinds of things a couple is supposed to decide together! Are you even listening to yourself! You claim to care about what I think so much, and then you go and say you don't need my input or anything! Is this how our whole life together will be? You decide things and I go along with it?"

"Well you've been doing a pretty good job lately of deciding my future for me, haven't you!"

Both teenagers stood staring at each other, unsure of how to react. Tino was the first to crack. "You know, Tish, sometimes I just wish we'd nev-" Tino cut himself off, not wanting to finish the thought.

"What?" Tish asked.

"Nothing."

"No, you were going to say something. Say it."

"No."

"Oh please! Just admit it! You wish we had never become a couple, don't you!"

"No. No, I don't mean that."

"Whatever. You always do turn chicken whenever things get real."

"What'd you say?"

"I said you're a coward!" Tish shouted. "You selfish little coward! You would be huddled in a ball inside your closet if it wasn't for me! I've sacrificed so much for you over the years and never said a word. I never said anything because you're my friend. Moreover, because I, stupidly, love you! And this is how you thank me!"

Tino stamped his foot, wanting for the first time he could remember to do something physical, and knowing he couldn't bring himself to hurt Tish, no matter how she pushed his buttons. "I don't have to take this. I'm going to Carver's."

"Fine! Go! Run away from me, like you run away from everything that goes a little awry! But don't expect me to pick you up and make it all better!"

"I'm sure I'll survive somehow." Tino rolled his eyes as he moved towards the door.

"Good! Because I know how much better off I'll be without you holding me down all the time!"

"Don't do me any favors." Tino walked out of his room.

Tish ran out behind him as Tino began walking down the stairs. "Have a nice life!" She yelled as Tino walked out the front door without turning around or even acknowledging her. She watched him walk down the street and out of her life. She huffed in frustration and journeyed down the stairs herself, to be confronted by Tino's mother.

"Whoa, whoa, what the heck was that about?" The older woman asked her.

"That," Tish clicked her tongue, "was the sound of a relationship ending." She took a deep breath. "I'll be back for my things when I'm a little more. . .subdued. Good day to you." Tish strode out the front door like Tino before her, without looking back. At the end of the sidewalk, she turned in the opposite direction Tino had gone. She took one last look at the house from afar, and walked off to a life of diminished expectations.

Author's Notes:Well, I guess the mystery is solved as to the turbulence between Tino and Tish now eh? I have to be honest with you readers here, although the plot is entirely mine, I only wrote about 50 percent of this chapter, the other half came from the master of dramatic dialogue: Lord Malachite, whom (if you've read my updated story summary) is now my official co-writer for this story. We pasted it back and forth like a football. It only seems fair, because this story has essentially been both of ours from early conception. This is shaping up to be quite the unique story, besides being the first collaboration effort between two writers that I've seen on this site, it is also told in a chronologically non-linear fashion. Chalk _two_ up for the path less traveled. Not many of you know this, but I am an artist first and a writer second, and as such I have been working on character designs for the Weekenders as adults. I've got Lor, Carver, and Tish done. And now all I've got left is Tino. Once he's good and done, I shall post up a link for them in my next chapter. Just something else for your guys to look forward to. Later Days.


	7. Long Time No See

Time Capsule

Chapter 7: Long time no See

She leaned on the restroom sink, baring all her weight onto it as she stared intensely into her reflection. "Come on girl," She told herself, "Get it together. Stop thinking about it. You're better than this." She hasn't even spoken to him, let alone seen him face-to-face yet, but already she had to coach herself to get through this.

She forced herself to stand up straight and adopt a prestige posture of indubitable intellect. She looked upon her reflection from an objective stand point, judging how someone else would view her. She inhaled, then took a quick peek at her surrounding just to make sure that she was still alone in the restroom. "Well hello Tino. What a pleasant surprise, I see you haven't changed a bit." She said to her doppelganger through a forced smile.

She failed to impress herself, dropping the act, she slouched once more over the sink and sighed. "Pathetic." She scolded as she slid her glasses back up her nose with her finger. She then stopped and studied her face from all angles. Hesitantly, she gripped the ends of her glasses with both hands and lowered them away from her eyes. She really couldn't tell if she was beautiful or not without them as her reflection was masked by her flawed vision. Grunting in frustration, she slid her glasses back and looked to the ceiling, as if to pray for some kind of divine intervention. "Why didn't I bring my contact lenses?"

She snapped to attention when a woman of no real significance walked in. Even though this woman didn't seem to be paying her any mind, Tish suddenly felt extremely self-conscience. She washed her hands as if to imply that was all she was doing there then stepped out of the restroom.

Snaking her way through the crowd to get back to her table, she stopped short because one man stood right in the way of her seat. Lor was talking to him, she didn't catch what she said, but she immediately recognized the mans voice when he uttered the word "She?". Tish didn't have time to react when Lor pointed right at her, causing what she has been dreading to turn around and face her.

He recoiled, almost backing into the table. If anyone else had reacted like that it would have been a little more unexpected. But neurotic is as neurotic does. "Tish." Tino said with his voice breaking a bit under the pressure of anger, surprise, hurt and joy all crammed into one syllable.

"Tino." She responded faintly, distantly, afraid that the slightest fault in her choice of words would cut the young man right in two. The only insight Lor and Carver gave was sitting there, frozen in time, their drinks either half way to their mouths or suspended in mid gulp. They watched the thus far brief exchange expecting to miss everything if they so much as blinked.

"You never wrote back." Tino said calmly, less accusingly than they all had expected.

"I didn't think it was such a good idea. I was still… angry at the time."

"I wrote to you to apologize."

"Listen, can we not talk about that. It happened so long ago, I'd like to think that we have both gotten over it and moved on with our lives."

"I see." Tino looked disappointed, but he quickly covered it with a smile. "I'm glad you came. For old time's sake, if nothing else."

"And thus concludes another exciting chapter of the Geek Angst Theater!" Carver intervened with his best impersonation of a soap opera narrator. He then realized that all three of his friends where giving him icy stares. "What? I had to do something to break the tension." He shrugged.

Tish playfully crossed her arms, she was indeed relieved that someone broke the tension, "I suppose you're right in your own special way Carver." She swung her open palms forward as if to illustrate dropping the subject. "Okay, from this point on no lingering on bad memories. Let's just have fun." She finished by walking around Tino and taking her seat, all along avoiding his gaze as he still stood there stunned.

Tino rubbed his head in pure bewilderment. "Um, hey, yeah… speaking of which, there's something that still eludes me."

"Shoot." Gestured Lor.

"What the heck is going on here?"

"It's a reunion you dim-bulb!" Carver laughed.

"It was all Lor's idea." Tish gestured, still finding it hard to look him in the eyes but putting up a casual front anyways.

Tino sat down, juggling his thoughts, still certain that there was a piece missing to this puzzle. Tapping his lip with his finger, he finally raised it to Lor and inhaled, about to speak.

"I ran into your mom last week at the grocery store." Lor answered his question before he asked it. "That's how I knew you would be coming down this week."

"And then she contacted us to arrange the whole thing." Carver added.

"Aww, so you mean that this is all a surprise reunion for me?" Tino said with glee.

"Gee," Lor smirked, "Nothing gets by you… here, I've got you a drink too, Griffin Original is your flavor right?" She said as she place the fourth drink sitting on the table in front of him.

"Thanks." Tino said as he took the bottle. "So, now that we have time, what was it like traveling around Europe?"

"Yeah, I'm dying to know too." Tish said as she leaned in, Carver followed suit.

"Oh Come on guys, your embarrassing me." Lor blushed, "Besides, I'd end up talking all night if I were to tell you all that I've done."

"How modest." Carver said sarcastically, "Well can you sum up what you've learned from your travels?"

Lor named off some of the lessons she learned as she counted on her fingers. "The canals of Venice are not for swimming, stay the hell away from the catacombs in France, nude beaches are not as kinky as you'd think (too many old people), and you can totally make fun of those guards with the fuzzy hats."

Everyone had a good laugh, Tino then pressed her on. "And then you said you spend the rest of your time in Los Angeles, right? How was that?"

"Not the rest of my time," Lor reminded, "I was only there for less than a year. Smoggy and over crowded by the way. It was good for the night life but I'm glad I returned to this small beach side town. That and I kind of, maybe, sort of…" she leaned in and whispered to make sure none of the staff members could hear her. "… got fired from my last job because I started a bar brawl… that doesn't leave this table."

They all nodded in confirmation and Lor leaned back, her demeanor shifting back to joyful. "Okay, now that my life story is out of the way, how about you Carver? What have you been doing with yourself?"

"Well I assure you it is no where near as glamorous as what you have been doing."

"Ah come on Carve." Tino smiled, "Last time I checked you moved to Malibu for that job designing shoes for Tommy Hugo. Don't tell me that's not glamorous."

"Honestly it isn't." Carver explained, "I mean Malibu is a happening place, I love my job, it pays well, the beaches are great, the women are beautiful, and… I forgot where I was going with this."

"You were talking about how your career is not all that glamorous." Tish reminded, baring her teeth behind her smile.

"Oh, right. But after a while, you start to feel like a one trick pony. I mean, all my job encompasses is designing shoes. I'm thinking of aiming a little higher. I want to be an all-out fashion designer. Those guys get all the respect."

"Alright, that's great and all, but what have you been doing with yourself outside of work. I'd imagine a guy like you must have quite the social life." Tino asked, finishing with a raised eyebrow.

"Well," he began playing with a ring on his finger, "I'm engaged."

"Wow, congrats man! Anyone I now?" Tino asked as his thoughts casually scanned the profiles of all of the girls he has seen Carver with throughout high school and college. He always was quite the lady's man.

"You should know her…" he began, but then paused. Waiting until the perfect moment when Tino was taking a sip of his beer, the anticipation was visible on his lips, "…she's your stepsister."

Tino's eyes went wide, he choked as his beer went down the wrong pipe. Reeling forward, he nearly hacked up a lung. "M-Moira! As in Dixon's daughter?" he struggled to grasp the concept, "You… are going to marry… Moira? T-That would make you my…my Step-brother-in-law!"

"Huh, I guess you're right," he said quite modestly, as if the connection hadn't occurred to him until that moment. "Put'er there, brother!" And he strapped an arm around his soon to be family and gave him a big hug.

"Wait a minute Carver." Tish began, "Now I don't mean to pry into your personal life, or by any means tell you that it's not going to work. But wasn't Moira your off and on… and off and on… and off and on and off and on and off and on and finally one big off in high school?"

"Yeah, but things are different now. I'm a one woman man I swear."

"Ah ha, and weren't you just saying something about all the beautiful women in Malibu?" Tish scolded with crossed arms.

"Hey, the ring's around my finger not my pecker. Don't worry, I'm not touching. But come on, I'm a guy. I'm still allowed to admire the female form right?"

"As if you've ever admired anything else in a woman."

"That's not true!" Carver protested. "I admire a woman with good-"

"Feet don't count." Tish finished for him. "Do you ever think about anything other than sex and shoes?"

"Not often."

"Stop picking on Carver." Lor came to his defense, "He can't help it if he was born with brains and balls and only enough blood to run one at a time."

"Thank you Lor I- Hey, that's not helping!"

"Face it man," Tino remarked, "In the battle of the sexes, you don't really get to choose your teammates. But if it means anything to you, I've always felt that you and Moira made a good couple (when you were one). And I have total faith that you two will make each other very happy."

"Thanks bro, that means a lot. So how about you? Got any giiii-…" he hung on the vowel, quickly switching gears as he was sure what he intended to say was not what neither Tish or Tino wanted to talk about. "… iiiirrreat, uh, comics going on lately?"

"Comics?" Tish questioned.

"Oh yeah, has either of you girls ever read that web comic Mecha Man?" Tino asked with great enthusiasm.

Lor and Tish only responded with a shrug. "… Okay fine. But anyways, I started writing it in college as part of a graphic design project and it gained a surprising amount popularity. Soon enough, it got me noticed and now I'm working for one of the biggest names in the comic book industry." He reclined in his chair, resting his hands behind his head to clearly display his 'Twisted Visions' company t-shirt. "Right now I'm doing coloring work for the New Adventures of Captain Dreadnaught."

Tish accidentally let out a belittling smirk then noticed that Tino took offence. He leaned forward to confront her "And what's so funny?"

"Hey, nothing, nothing. I mean, yeah, comic books. Good for you…." She grinned as she clasped the now empty glass in both hands "…It's nice to see that something came out of your penchant for childish things."

"Um, did you just say 'pawn shawn?" Tino questioned, looking very confused. "What is a pawn shawn?"

"No." Tish looked at him with disdain. "Penchant. As in, you have a tendency to take pleasure in things meant for a significantly less mature and sophisticated audience than you."

Lor uttered a slight "uh-oh" under her breath. Carver sighed in disappointment. And Tino, he was clearly not amused.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't think I was looking for your approval in what I do with my life." He scorned.

Tish scoffed, "Hypocrite."

"What?… Oh no. Tell me that you didn't just go there! I can't believe you, after all that you just said, now you're dragging that up again!"

"God Tino. You over reacting. I meant nothing of the sort."

"Then what _did_ you mean by it?"

Tish stuttered to come up with a response. She started into her empty glass thinking that her only excuse was that she downed her alcohol too fast. "Just… it's nothing. I'm sorry okay? Now let's just forget it."

"Easy Tish, easy." Lor tried to steer the conversation.

"Just get me a refill and I'll be all right."

A look of shock crossed Lor's face. "Tish, I think you should slow down. I mean, this is what I do for a living, and I wouldn't want to see you do anything to make yourself sick."

"Oh what are you, my mother? I'll be fine. Now get me a refill. Please." Tish tacked on at the end, running a hand through her hair to try and regain her composure.

"Fine, whatever." Lor stood up and went back to the bar.

"Well, that was real classy of you Tish." Tino said snidely.

"Don't bait me with your bullshit, Tino. Not tonight. I've had a lousy day."

"Now girls, don't fight, your both pretty." Carver said jokingly, in an effort to foster some calm. Tino and Tish exchanged a look and then turned their heads away from each other in snoots. "Alright, now this is just crazy. Seriously, will you two get over yourselves? You're continuing a stupid fight you had years ago. I mean, look at Moira and I. We moved on with our lives, did the whole forgive and forget routine, and now we're happier than we ever were in high school. All you have to do is be able to sit at the same table for a few hours. How hard can it be?"

Tino drummed his fingers on the table. "I apologized to Tish twice, Carv. I wrote her years ago and told her that I wanted her back, that I regretted the things we said to each other before. She never wrote me back." He scoffed.

"Oh that's a cheap shot!" Tish hissed as Lor returned. Tish thanked her and took a generous sip, feeling the warmth spread through her throat and belly as the alcohol had its desired effect. "I'm here, aren't I? Maybe it didn't occur to you, but I came here for you. Against my better judgment, mind you. I thought that perhaps you were ready to talk about some of the things that happened between us reasonably. Clearly, I've overestimated your maturity considerably. Two years of college, Tino. Five years since we last saw each other. And you haven't matured a bit. In fact, you've found a way to extend your childhood beyond all reasonable boundaries with this comic book thing of yours, haven't you? Why are you holding yourself back? You could be so much more, yet you always choose to be less. Why is that? Why do you limit yourself? Don't you have any pride?" Tish took another deep draw from her glass, trying to collect her thoughts.

"That's enough!" Tino yelled angrily. "I've had all I'm going to take out of you, Tish. What gives you the right to criticize my life? Last I checked, you aren't the queen of the world, and I don't have to justify myself to you!"

"Come on, guys, don't be like this. We're here to have fun!" Lor protested.

"We are. Tish is here to tell us how much better she is than the rest of us." Tino spat.

There was a slight cracking sound, and it took Tish a moment to realize she had shattered the glass in her hand, the stem breaking clean off. An angry red streak slicked across her palm, the work of a broken, sharpened piece of glass. The remains of her drink poured out over the table and onto her dress, and her breath caught. Lor looked at her friend and offered to help, realizing that something was truly bothering the girl, but Tish refused all assistance. "This was a mistake." Was all she said before she bolted off her seat and picked her way through the maze of other patrons and out the door. Lor chased after her, detouring in her path only to grab a small first aid kit from behind the bar. Tino moved to go after them, but Carver grasped him by the sleeve and shook his head. "Sit down Tino. There's something we should talk about."

Author's Notes:  
Oh what a twisted web we weave. That, and my fondness for leaving the reader with a cliffhanger. Sorry this update took so long, Malachite went away for the weekend and I decided to take a short break from the whole angst drama thing to write Pom Squad. But enough of this, I know what you're really reading the author notes in this chapter for. Well, here you go, the character designs for the Weekenders as adults.. You know the drill, just replace all the (dot)'s with actual dots in the URL.

Tino  
http/img167(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img167/7945/timecapsuletino0id(dot)jpg

Tish  
http/img190(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img190/3750/timecapsuletish4pg(dot)jpg

Lor  
http/img169(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img169/9261/timecapsulelor5id(dot)jpg

Carver  
http/img369(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img369/5944/timecapsulecarver6qg(dot)jpg


	8. Second Chances

Time Capsule

Chapter 8: Second Chances

Lor swung the door open and peered around for her distressed friend. Tish was easily spotted a few feet away, sitting on the curb of the sidewalk. One hand grasped her face to hold back the sobbing, the other clenched tightly to hold back the bleeding. Lor let out a concerned sigh and stepped toward her.

"You look like a total mess, you know that?" Lor stated as she slumped down beside her.

"Just leave me alone!" Tish sobbed as she shifted away from her.

Lor ignored her comment and opened up the first aid kit. "Well, if you're going to go running off anywhere, you should at least let me patch you up before that gets any worse."

"I don't need your help."

"Yeah, I know, because I'm not your mother." This statement caused Tish to look at her with contempt. Even though Lor didn't see this as she was lost in thought for a moment. "But unless you plan on walking around and _literally_ painting the town red, you might want me to take a look at that."

"No," Tish pouted.

"Tish, you're the last person I'd expect to act like a baby. Now I am not leaving your side until I make sure you're alright. That's what friends do."

Tish sighed at her then reluctantly gave Lor her hand, Lor took it and inhaled through her teeth, as if to imply that she knew it must really hurt. "Geez girl, I didn't know you had it in you to shatter a glass with your bare hand."

Lor looked to her friend in hopes of getting some life out of her. But Tish only responded by turning her head away. Undaunted, Lor focused her attention on the first aid kit sitting opened on the other side of her. Shifting through the contents, she clearly voiced an "Uh-oh."

"What?" Tish sniffed, "No Band-Aids?"

"No, but you're still not going to like it. All we have in here for antiseptic is peroxide."

Tish spun her head back to Lor, "What? Isn't that the stuff that stings?"

"Of course it is, but it has to be done."

Tish cringed considerably as the dampened cloth came closer to her open hand. Lor stopped and sighed at her. "Okay look, the street is empty. If you want, you can totally scream out as many profanities as you like when this hits you."

"That won't be necessary." Tish rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I'm just putting it out there. Here we go, on three… THREE!"

Lor plunged the dampened cloth onto Tish's palm, holding her tightly by the wrist as the girl fought and recoiled. "MOTHER FU… What the hell Lor? That doesn't sting at all."

"Yeah, I know," Lor grinned as she continued to clean Tish's wound, "But I knew that would get you out of your mood."

"Do you really have to treat me like a child?" Tish asked with disdain.

"Oh buck up, you're lucky you don't need stitches," She commented as she began wrapping a bandage around Tish's hand. "Unfortunately, you got it in a real awkward spot, so you're going to have to be careful for the next few days or you'll end up opening it up again."

Tish took her hand back and stood up, brushing the dirt from the back of her dress. "Thank you," she said firmly, "I'm sorry, but I think I'll be heading in for the evening." She began to walk away but then noticed that Lor was following her like a shadow. "What? Why are you following me? My hand is all wrapped up now."

"I told you, I'm not leaving your side until I make sure that you're alright. And that includes emotional wounds."

"Don't play psychoanalyst with me," Tish sneered, "I am fully capable of handling my own problems."

"Yeah right," Lor mocked, "You handled it really well back there."

Tish crossed her arms and looked at Lor with contempt, "Back off alright. What can you possibly say to help me?"

"Well, off the top of my head… nothing," Lor sighed, "I don't even know you anymore. You've become like a stranger to me. Here I am, hoping to return to a place I once called home, to people I once called friends, but nothing is what it used to be. And you're the worst Tish. You're nothing like what I remember. What happened to you? What happened to the girl who was my closest friend, who was once like a sister to me?"

"Stop it alright," Tish spat, she tried to hide it but Lor could see her eyes starting to water. "Do you want to know what my problem is? I was the one who went to a big fancy university, I was the one who spent my life studying and preparing to make something of myself, I was the one who left everything behind to head off to bigger and better places! And do you know what I find when I come back here?"

"Everyone is happier with their lives than you are," Lor answered sympathetically.

Tish leaned against a lamp post, letting her aggression wane. "You know that when I left here, I wanted to be a theatrical actress… no, it was more than that. I've had that dream ever since I was twelve. I spent four years of my life studying English Literature and Theatrical Arts in University, and do you know what I do for a living now?"

Lor averted her gaze, ashamed that she didn't even know that much about her life long friend.

"I'm a high school English teacher," Tish revealed.

"So you just gave up then?"

"Eventually," Tish said in self defeat, "It's not like I didn't try, I auditioned for a lot of roles. I got shot down a lot, but I was expecting that at first. So I took up this teaching thing to hold me over until something came up while I kept on perusing my dream. After a lot of rejections, and a few small roles that didn't pan out for me… I just got tired of it all. And here I am today, a mere shell of my former self."

"You always were a melodramatic one," Lor slapped her forehead. "C'mon, Tish, it's not that bad."

"I ought to know," Tish protested, "It's my life."

"You're just obsessing over regret. Now that you're older and wiser and have more scars, you wish you had done some things differently. Last I checked that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I didn't even try to keep contact with you guys," Tish shook her head. "I shut Tino out, and I never tried to look up you or Carver. Maybe I shouldn't have left. Maybe I should've stayed and gone to community college."

"We all have our roles to play," Lor offered, "Me, I'm the clown."

"Oh come on, Lor. I wouldn't call you a clown. Or even a fool! You're just, well, free-spirited."

"Yeah, you pick that kind of thing up when you spend as much time traveling as I did. Come on, Tish. Come back to the party."

"Why, so I can make a bigger fool of myself?"

"It's a little late for that," Lor chuckled, "I don't think you have enough material to make yourself a fool twice in one night."

"Why do you care if I come back?"

"Because I can't have a good time without you, Tish. Come on, you're my friend. I know it's been a long time, but... I thought we were the kind of friends who wouldn't see each other for years and be like nothing's changed. Aren't we?"

"I... I don't know, Lor. So much has changed, everywhere I look it's all different. I don't think I can go back and be the girl I once was."

"It's all in your head, Tish. But you'll always be my friend."

"Ok, ok! If you're going to get this mushy on me, I'd better go back in before I make you cry or something!"

Back inside the pub, Carver was still sitting at the table with Tino, giving him a lecture. "All I'm saying man, is that she probably has a lot of self-esteem issues, and all that I've gotten out of her since I picked her up at the airport was lies. So maybe you could just try not to take whatever she says to heart."

"Yeah, well, don't expect me to sit back and take it if she's going to be serving up crap like this the whole time she's here."

"Hopefully you won't have to," Tish said with a slight smile as she approached the table with Lor. "I came back to… apologize. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting and for what I've said tonight. And if you're not too mad at me… I'd like to sit down and try this again."

She looked towards Tino for an answer, Tino stared back at her. After a moment of contemplation, he asked "Your not going to make a scene again, are you?"

"I promise," Tish answered with shame.

Tino pulled out the chair next to him, "Alright, but we're getting off the subject of what we do for a living." Carver gave Tino a slightly surprised look, amazed that he didn't want to know what Tish was keeping from them.

Tish thanked him and sat down. An awkward silence loomed over them for a short while until Tino eventually spoke up "You know what I remember? That arcade we used to hang out at when we were kids. What was it called? Oh yeah, Funville. What ever happened to that place?"

Lor leaned back in her chair, "You're sitting in it."

"What?" Tino said, looking at his surroundings, certain that it bore no resemblance their noisy childhood hangout. "It got turned into a pub?"

"Weird, huh," Tish commented, "It almost seems like it grew up with us."

"Makes sense though," Carver said, "With portable games and the internet being so main stream, kids just aren't interested in those big clunky arcade games of yesteryear. And Besides, I've got more games in my cell phone now than the entire building ever had."

Still swiveling his head around, Tino caught a welcoming sight and turned back to Carver with a raised eyebrow. "I bet you don't have a full sized pool table in that cell phone of yours."

"Pool?" Carver responded, "Honestly, I haven't played that game since college. I don't know if I'll be very good."

"Good," Lor smiled while rubbing her hands together, "Nothing has changed then. Same pairing as always? Boys versus girls!"

Carver hoisted himself up, "You don't know how lucky you are Tish. Alright Tino, are you ready to be massacred?"

Lor broke the ice, and skillfully sunk a ball. From that point on she was queen of the table until Tish missed a shot giving the guys a hope in hell. Carver looked upon his discouraging situation, "Wow Lor… you have… gotten better. Much, much better," He said through an awkward smile, "Did you enter like, professional competitions or something?"

"Not professional ones per say," She answered modestly, "Among other things, this is what I did to keep cash in my pocket while traveling around Europe. I was a bit of a pool shark."

"What do you mean by 'other things'?" Carver asked in a disciplinary tone.

"Farm work and kitchen help!" Lor retorted, "I don't know what you were thinking of but I have my dignity! Geez, you're just like my fa…" she cut herself off, "Never mind, it's your guy's shot."

"Okay, Okay, I didn't mean anything by it," Carver defended before turning his attention over to Tino, "Well, since this is officially our first shot, will you take the honors?"

"You say it like we have a chance." Tino chuckled as he lined up the small window of hope that he was left with. Miraculously, he actually managed to put one in out of sheer luck. "Ha, I guess we're not completely hopeless after all."

"Good for you," Lor humored, "You made it so that the game wouldn't be completely one-sided. Now it's your turn Carve."

Carver took his shot and grumbled as he not only missed his target completely, but also lined the cue ball right up to make things far too easy for Lor.

"You guys are no challenge at all," Lor whined as she continued her play, "So what are we going to do after this game?"

Carver glanced over at Tish and Tino standing beside each other like two awkward kids at their junior prom. A grin spread across his face before he looked at Lor and very subtly nudged his head towards the two former lovers. "Gee, it's getting late and I promised Moira I'd give her a call once I got back to the hotel."

"But, you carry a cell phone with…" She was cut off when Carver cleared his throat rather loudly and began to hint towards Tino and Tish with more effort. "… Oooooh, Yeah. Um, I just remembered that I forgot to do laundry today. Yeah, can't show up for work tomorrow with dirty clothes."

"You guys are leaving already?" Tino asked.

"Oh don't worry," Carver assured, "Tish and I will be here for the whole week, just like you. We'll all see each other tomorrow, alright?"

"Uh, sure, okay. Say hi to Moira for me."

"And if I can ever convince you to another game of pool sometime, I'll let you play with a handicap," Lor offered while she finished up the last of the game and placed her cue stick back on the rack, "Okay you guys, later days."

Carver pulled Tino over to the other side of the table and whispered, "Hey Tino, why don't you walk Tish home?"

"What? Why?"

"For the sake of being a gentleman, you insensitive jerk," Carver pressured him, "It's dark outside and the poor girl is injured. Are you really just going to leave her to walk home alone?"

"Well, no," Tino shrugged, glancing slightly over to Tish.

"Good, then it's settled, have fun," Carver said before making his exit.

Tino stood there dumbfounded until Tish walked up to him, "So what's going on?"

Tino rubbed the back of his head, "Apparently, I'm being a gentleman."

Tish looked at him cock-eyed as he turned to her and half mockingly said, "Shall I walk you home, milady?"

He tried to slip his hand under hers but she recoiled and gave him a raised eyebrow, "This… isn't going to get weird, is it?"

"Weird? What's weird? I'm just an old friend, offering his company on your way home."

Tish looked at him for a moment then gave a warm smile and offered him her good hand in a elegant fashion, "Sure, but just as old friends. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Can we really do that? Just pretend there was nothing more between us?"

"I don't think either of us want this to get complicated. At the very least, we can try." Tish said as she motioned for the front door.

Tino held the door open for Tish as she stepped through. Before following after her, he took another look at the room which was once a staple of his childhood. In a deep breathe, he sighed, "Yeah, I guess I could try."

Author's notes:  
Aww, doesn't that feel good. I think we all needed a break from all the high strung angst in this story for a bit. That and I didn't want Tish singing the same tune for the whole story. But fear not, Time Capsule is far from over, I have a whole bunch of things planned that shall be… _interesting_. Tino and Tish are not the only ones with problems that need to be worked out (not that their problems are resolved by any means). But I shall not spoil anything nor shall I make any promises, as much of this story I'm just making up as I go along. Well, I'd like to give thanks for Malachite for co-writing, Attic Man for proof-reading, and Shinji Langley for the plot insight. Okay Later days.


	9. Never Again

Time Capsule

Chapter 9: Never Again

The sun had just disappeared beyond the horizon when they stepped out of the pub, the only remainder of the day past being the serene orange glow bordering the western sky. They waved as Carver drove by with Lor in the passenger seat. Sure Lor lived within walking distance, but Carver might as well give her a ride. Tish took a deep, cleansing breath and looked up to the stars as one-by-one they began to glitter in the sky above them. Tino took a quick glance at her, but then became entranced. Unable to draw his eyes away from the beauty that he was once free to hold, and to kiss, so very long ago.

Tish caught him staring and darted her head at him. Tino promptly shifted his eyes away, looking around at nothing as if to imply that he was doing anything but leering at her. "So, um, let's get you home then. Come on, we'll take the path through the park, just like when we were kids."

Tino motioned to lead but Tish strayed behind, "Wait, how did you know that I was staying at my parent's place? Did Carver tell you?"

"No, I just assumed that's all. I mean, I'm crashing at my parent's place while I'm here. Besides, what's the big deal if you are?"

Tish smirked and shook her head, "No, you're right, I'm just being silly. Never mind." Tino gave her a concerned look. "What?" Tish defended, "Seriously, it's nothing. Now c'mon, let's go."

They crossed the street together and began their trek down the winding, paved path through the lush green scenery. There was no one in the park besides them, save for an old man walking his dog, and a handful of teenagers whom didn't pay them any mind. But in time, these few people passed, leaving Tino and Tish completely alone together on this narrow, solitary path.

The silence was eating Tino up inside, but Tish had no intention of starting a conversation. She simply looked straight ahead, and remained steadfast on the path. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. She knew that allowing herself to do this would bring up nothing but regret. This path was like a test of endurance for her.

Once or twice Tino had to fight off a compulsive nerve to wrap his arm around her. He forced his arm to stay down and shook such ideals out of his head. But every time the urge would befall him, it became harder to ignore.

"How are you feeling?" Tino finally spoke up, startling Tish slightly.

"My hand is throbbing but I'll survive," She answered flatly.

"… This is some reunion, huh?" Tino commented, struggling to draw Tish into a conversation.

"I guess," She responded. She then cut off communication by turning her head away from him.

Tino fell deep into contemplation, then after a while, he let out a sigh, "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Tish questioned.

"I don't know… for what I said at the pub I guess. I didn't mean to make you run out like that."

"Oh please," Tish said, "If anything, I should be the one apologizing… for everything. I'm sorry I've been so… difficult today."

"I think you've already apologized for that," Tino reminded.

"Well, once is not enough. I should never have belittled you like that. If you want to know the truth… I guess I was kind of jealous."

"Of me?"

"Of you, Carver, and Lor. All of you are so happy with your lives. And you are doing something that you've always loved. Not many people can say that."

"And what about you?"

"I… I teach English at a High School," She confessed at great effort.

"Oh, okay," Tino shrugged.

Tish looked at him with a bit of surprise, "That's it?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, back in the pub, I dropped the subject of what we do for a living because I thought that whatever you did must have been pretty bad or embarrassing to cause a scene like that… I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Tish looked off to the side and let out a slight laugh. Tino leaned his head over to see what she was laughing about. She looked back at him. "No, it's nothing, I'm just feeling really stupid right now. I acted like this was some dark secret that I had to keep from all of you, and in the end, it's like it doesn't really matter."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you're not stupid."

"You don't get it Tino," Tish protested, "All this time, I've been keeping it a secret from you! Aren't you at least mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you Tish," Tino responded in a serious tone.

"Don't lie to me. You can't tell me that it doesn't at the very least bother you. I left you because I wanted bigger things, and I end up wasting it. Not only that but I've been a total bitch to you ever since I got here."

"Yeah, it bothers me!" Tino snapped, "But what do you want me to do? Yell at you? Hit you? Tish, you know that for as long as we've known each other that I could never bring myself to hurt you."

"So you just don't care anymore?"

Tino stopped dead on the path. "Geez, Tish! What are you trying to do to me?" He yelled, "I've bent over backwards for whatever mood you've been in all day and still you persist in trying to get under my skin!" Tish stuttered to respond but Tino wasn't finished. "You say that you just want to forget about our relationship and just be friends again, but you're not even willing to give that a chance."

"I'm sorry, okay! But this is hard for me."

"Hard… or impossible?"

"I… I don't understand."

Tino looked into her eyes, "Tish, it's time for us to face the truth, we can't be friends anymore." Tish tried to protest but Tino pressed his finger against her mouth in an uncharacteristically bolt manner, "We can't _just_ be friends anymore… because there is something greater between us now."

Tish pushed Tino's finger off her mouth to ask, "What are you doing?"

"Something that I've been putting off for five years," He breathed as he leaned closer until his lips entwined with hers.

Unfortunately, Tish did not return the feeling. Piercing her lips, she forced Tino off of her, "Stop it!" She yelled.

"Tish?" Tino asked feeling very confused.

"Just stop it..." Tish begged, shaking her head and burying her face in her hands. "Tino... I'm just not that girl who left you years ago anymore. I wish I were. You'll never know how much. But she's gone, and I don't know how to find her again."

"That's not true!" Tino protested. "I know that deep down, you are still that person. I've never stopped doubting it from the last time we said goodbye! Why do you think I kept writing you! Because I love you!"

"That's just it!" Tish cried. "You love an idea of me! You love that person I was! But I'm not her anymore. Why can't you accept that, Tino? People change. They evolve."

"Give me a break!" Tino insisted. "People don't change the way you're talking about Tish! Lor and Carver and I didn't! All you did was sell out! You let go of every dream you've ever had and settled for an existence over a life."

"How dare you! What gives you the right to... to just walk back into my life and start passing judgments on me!"

"Oh, so now you _don't_ want me to care about what you do with your life? Tish, I love you, and I care about what happens to you! I want you to be happy! Not dying inside like you are now. I don't believe a word of it! This isn't you!"

"I am what my life has made me, Tino."

"A quitter? Someone who would rather feel sorry for herself than try again? Someone who would so willingly throw away everything we had together?"

"Please, Tino! If you really love me then just let what we had one time rest in peace. Why do you keep torturing me with it! I- I don't…" she fell silent.

Tino shook her by the shoulders, "Don't what? Tell me!"

"I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE!" Tish's voice went shrill; it was like something inside of her cracked. If there was anything else to be said, it wouldn't happen for some time. Tish refused all further speech, giving Tino a full on silent treatment. Tino made an effort to get her to talk to him, but she refused, even to send him away.

After waiting for as long as he could for her to speak, Tino took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, as if he was expunging the fire inside him. "We can't be friends any more… and we can't be lovers… There's nothing else for us to be." He swallowed hard, "Good bye, Tish." And with that, he began to trek back down the path in the way that they came. Not once did he stop. Not once did he look back.

Tish remained still as a statue; completely silent, listening to the footsteps grow more distance as Tino drifted into the darkness of the night. When the world was completely silent, her eyes began to water, never before had she felt so alone, so vulnerable. She spun around in hopes that she could see him again, but he was long gone. Her lip began to quiver, she placed her hand up to steady it, but it only reminded her of the stolen kiss. Cringing into herself, she ran off in full sprint down the remainder of the path, towards the light of the street lamps at the end. Stumbling out onto the sidewalk, she looked around for her house on that street and ran towards it, finding it harder to hold back the sobbing with every step. Pressing herself against her front door, she buried her face into her arm.

Before she could turn the knob, she heard the sound of her parents talking casually on the other side. Drawing her hand away, she didn't want them to see her like this. Stealthily, she sat herself down on the stoop and cried all of her tears out in silence until she could compose herself.

Minutes later, several streets away, Tino stormed through his front door in a gruff. "Hey there smiley," his mother greeted him sarcastically with a bowl of pop corn in hand, "How was your night?"

"Nothing worth talking about," He hissed.

His mother gave him a very concerned look, "Well, we just rented a movie. Come, sit down and watch it with us."

Tino walked past her and made his way for the stairs, "No thank you, mom. I have a lot of work to do." And with that he disappeared into the guest room to presumably toil away on his laptop.

Emese winced as the door upstairs slammed shut. She entered the living room, still wearing a concerned look on her face. "What's got him so upset?" Dixon asked from the couch with Dante at his side.

Emese sat down next to two out of three of her boys and placed the bowl on the coffee table, "Whatever it is, I'm guessing it has chestnut brown hair, wears glasses, and likes the color purple."

It took Dixon a second to click the pieces together, "Ah… ooooooh. Maybe I should go talk to him"

"Are you sure you don't want me to do it?" his wife offered, "I'm a little more experienced when it come to talking to him about these things."

"No, no. Issues like this require a man-to-man talk," Dixon responded with confidence as he lifted himself off the couch.

Emese slid over on the couch to sit next to her youngest son, "Okay, I'll be here if you need me."

"Is there something wrong with Tino?" Dante questioned.

"He just has some trouble with friends. It's nothing, just watch the movie," His mother answered as she pressed the play button on the remote. Dante didn't waste time arguing, his 10-year-old attention span was happily fixated on the entertainment in front of him.

Mrs. Dickson really couldn't pay the movie any attention. She sighed off to the side, her mind riddled with all that she knew of the situation, and all that she didn't. She used to be able to read her son like an open book, but this time, there was something about it that was beyond her control.

Author's Notes:  
First order of business: Everyone present, please place your hands in the upright position and commence raising the roof. Do you know why? Because Time Capsule has reached 1000 hits! Oh yeah, do a little dance; I'm dancing like a monkey… ahem, (composes self). Secondly I would like to say that this chapter was supposed to be a little bit longer to include the talk between Tino and Dixon. But I decided to save that for the beginning of the next chapter for several reasons. One of which being that I just can't wrap my head around it for the moment. But anyways, read, enjoy, and please review! Later days.


	10. Stop Crying your Heart Out

Time Capsule

Chapter 10: Stop Crying your Heart Out

Tino was simply lying on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Trying as he might to expunge any thoughts of a certain someone from his mind. But the more he tried to forget about her the more he thought about her. Soon, he heard knocking on the door. "Hey Champ, you, uh… you want to talk?" Dixon asked from behind the door.

"Busy right now," Tino lied, "Got a lot of work to do."

"Ah ha, well, I'll leave you to your work until you realize that you left your drawing tablet on the kitchen counter when you were showing it to Dante this morning."

"……… Crap."

"Don't worry, your mother put it on top of the fridge. So, um, is there anything that's bothering you? You know, I hear ranting about it helps."

Emese called from the living room, "Go inside the room and then talk to him!"

"Are you trying to coach me on this or something?" Dixon called back.

"No, we just can't hear the movie over you."

Dixon rolled his eyes. "Okay, you heard your mother. I'm coming in." He opened the door and stepped into find that Tino didn't even acknowledge his presence. Dixon sighed and shook his head, "I'm assuming that things didn't go that well, huh?"

"I'm guessing that you and mom knew about the reunion, right?"

"Naturally, I also know about Carver and Moira's engagement in case you're wondering."

"I figured that much," Tino said as he sat up, "Anything else that I'm the last to know about?"

"Hey, they just told us a few weeks ago. And Carver said that he wanted to be the one to tell you… but that isn't what you're upset about."

Tino gave a huff and flopped back down on the bed. Dixon combed his hand through his hair, scratching the back of his head before lowering his arm, "Wow, she really did you in, didn't she?"

"It isn't the first time," Tino scoffed.

"No. It isn't. Do you think that should tell you something?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Now c'mon Tino, you're an adult now, and I would like to talk to you as if you were one. How bad was it? Did she ridicule you or something?"

"Yes… and then some."

"Such as?" Dixon asked curiously.

Tino looked at him for a moment, "It's kind of embarrassing."

"How embarrassing? I mean, I've been there myself."

"You!"

"Need I remind you that I'm married to your mother?"

"Point well taken," Tino sighed.

"So?" Dixon pressed him, but Tino remained silent regardless, "Tino… I don't want you to think of me as an authority figure now, you're out on your own; you're a grown man. Maybe it'll help if you think of me as more of a friend… a friend who's worried about you."

Tino let down his guard and gave a slight smirk, "You're not going to get all mushy on me, are you?"

"Hey, if you want, I can get your mother up here to give this talk," Dixon half jokingly offered.

Tino waved his hands in front of his face, "No, no, no."

"Or, I can get your brother up here to jump on you."

"Now you're just being mean," Tino laughed.

"So are you ready to talk?"

Tino sighed deeply, "Alright, I might as well get this over with." Dixon sat down on the bed next to him, "Okay, things were going fine I guess… wait, scratch that, things were… well, um…. fine but at the same time they weren't."

Dixon cocked an eyebrow, "Care to elaborate?"

Tino contemplated for a moment, "Okay, here's the thing. It's been six years since we broke up. It bugged the hell out of me at first but then, once she left at the end of summer, slowly but surely I began to cope with it and get on with my life," Dixon nodded in compliance, "I thought I was over her, man. And then, suddenly, BAM! There she is right there in front of me. I- I don't know, I felt like all those years spent suppressing her memory and getting her image out of my head just went right out the window."

"And how did she react?"

Tino hung his head, "Like how I was afraid she would act- arrogant and completely beyond me. It was like she didn't even care that I was there. And then she kept on going by talking down to all of us like she was Queen of the World or something."

"And that's what's got you so upset," Dixon concluded.

"Hardly," Tino smirked, grabbing Dixon's attention, he was about to continue but then he hesitated, "Um, this is kind of the embarrassing part."

"How embarrassing?" Dixon asked, "On a scale of one to ten."

"I wouldn't know what to gauge it on," Tino gave Dixon a wily look.

Dixon caught the look, "Ah, an eye for an eye I see. Okay then. Ten would be… ten would be the… okay, now this one you can't tell you're mother about okay?" Tino nodded, "Ten would be the time when I was about your age, maybe a little younger, I hired a mariachi band to serenade this girl I liked."

"You actually went and did that?"

"Yeah, turns out that she just so happened to be hosting a dinner party at the time."

"Wait! You serenaded her on her front lawn?"

"I thought it was the romantic thing to do. I was young and dumb. I didn't realize just how loud those guys were. The whole neighbourhood heard them. And the girl actually hated mariachi music. So that didn't go over too well."

"Wow man, that's really pathetic."

"Hey I said it ranked a solid ten on the scale."

"So… what would rank a one then?"

"Walking into a plate glass window at the supermarket," Dixon grinned, showing off a slightly crooked tooth.

Tino couldn't help but laugh, "You're a crazy guy, you know that?"

"I do what I can, so now that I've bared my soul here, how embarrassing was your situation?"

Tino thought for a moment, "Okay, I retract my statement, it wasn't actually embarrassing because there was no one around to see it… but it is pretty sad none the less."

"Ah, in the garden of life, it has to rain for the flowers to bloom," Dixon commented poetically.

Tino gave him a raised eyebrow, "Shakespeare?"

"No, I don't know where I heard that from."

Tino rolled his eyes, "Alright, enough stalling. You've put on such a show for me, I can't keep it from you now," Tino took a deep breath, "Long story short, at the end of the night, Carver tricked me into walking Tish home. Tish said that we should just forget about our relationship and be friends again. We tried but it didn't work out that way… and then… I don't know, it was like I was getting mixed signals from her… so I… so I just went and kissed her," Tino faded out right at the end and looked the other way.

Dixon rubbed his eyes, then slowly pulled his hand down the length of his face, "Alright, I can probably fill in the blanks from here," he said in a serious tone, "I assume that since you're not walking on air, she rejected you." Tino didn't respond to him, "Yeah, I know it hurt, it must have hurt a lot…"

Tino interrupted him without looking at him; "She said that she didn't love me anymore."

"Didn't you guys break up six years ago?"

"Yeah, but she never once told me that she didn't love me. In fact, during that fight we had, I clearly remember her telling me just how much she did love me. And I pushed her away regardless. And now, when I realize what an idiot I've been, she doesn't want me anymore."

Dixon pat him on the shoulder, "It's alright Tino," he consoled, "I know first hand that no amount of joking, or advice can make you feel any better right now."

"It's over between me and her, in every way. But I still can't get her image out of my head," Tino said in anger.

"You're preaching to the choir Tino; think it's hard with old girlfriends? Try handling it when you're married and have a daughter. It took me a long time to recover from that one. But you know what? I ended up marrying your mother and now I'm happier than I ever was."

"So you're saying there's hope?"

"What I'm saying is that for every ending there is a new beginning. You're still young Tino, you'll break some hearts and get your heart broken in return a few times until you finally come across the one that will stick with you forever."

"Aww, that's so sweet of you." The woman of the house interrupted from the open door.

Tino's eyes went wide, "Mom! How did- when did- but you--- how long have you been standing there?"

"Not for as long as I've been listening through the ventilation ducts, I assure you," She smiled.

"So that's how you always knew what went on in this house," Tino said.

"One of the ways," she answered as she strolled over to her husband.

"How was the movie?" Dixon asked.

"Dante's still watching it; I just came up to check on you guys. How are you feeling Tino?"

"A little better I suppose, now that I've gotten all that off my chest."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear about what happened. I know how much she meant to you."

"Don't worry mom, I'll get over it," Tino assured her.

"Well, alright. Would you like to come down and watch the movie with us? We can restart it from the beginning," She offered.

"No thanks, it's been a long day, I'm just going to sit up here and read for a bit."

"Okay then, we'll be downstairs if you need us," She said as she motioned Dixon towards the door.

"But one thing before we end here," Dixon spoke up.

"What?" Tino asked.

"You said that things were fine but at the same time they weren't right?"

"Yeah," Tino confirmed.

"So what was the good part of it all?"

"… I got to see Carver and Lor again," Tino smiled.

Dixon smiled back from the door, "Well I guess the evening wasn't a total loss then." He commented before leaving the room.

"Yeah," Tino said quietly to himself, a warm grin then began to spread across his face, "I got to see Lor again."

"Someone's thinking of you," Carver commented as Lor was letting herself out of his car in front of her apartment building.

Lor stopped and turned back around, "What?"

"The link on your necklace, it's down by the pendant. That means that someone is thinking about you."

Lor looked down and shifted the link back to its proper place, "Where did you hear that?"

"Eh, just some superstition I heard once. That is an interesting pendant though, what is it supposed to be?"

Lor took the pendant in hand and began running her thumb along the surface, "It's a serpent dragon coiled around two gems, a blue and a red one. And the dragon has two wings, a dove's and a bat's. I picked it up in Spain; I'm told that it matches my personality," she let the pendant slip from her fingers, "But anyway, thanks for noticing and thanks for the ride."

"Hey, no prob. Give me a call tomorrow when you're finished work and we can all get together again."

Lor stepped out of the car and shut the door, but then she turned around and leaned on the open window, "Um, Carver, do you think it was a good idea to leave those two alone?"

"What? Tino and Tish? Oh, I'm sure they're fine," Carver assured.

"Well, it's just that things seemed a little tense between them today. More than once we had to step in to prevent a fight."

"You worry too much; time alone to work out their differences is just what they need. Trust me, I know a thing or two about relationships."

Lor stepped away from the car, "Alright, if you say so. Goodnight, Carver."

"Goodnight," he returned before driving off.

Lor crossed her arms in the cool night air, watched her friend drive away, then turned around and made her way into her apartment building. Stepping out of the elevator, she ventured down the quiet hallway and dug out her key to let herself into her comfortable one-bedroom apartment. She had so many souvenirs and mementoes from the various places of her travels, yet no one to share them with. She walked over and turned on the radio to drown out the eerie silence. But not having it too loud otherwise the neighbours would complain. She made herself some instant noodles and ate away at them as she stood in front of her window, looking out on the thriving beach side town that was once the whole world to her. The radio played an old song quietly in the background.

_Hold up hold on don't be scared,  
you'll never change what's been and gone,_

Subconsciously, she grasped her pendant in her hand again and began to rub her fingers along the etched details. All along, Carver's superstition echoed in her mind. Snapping back to reality, she peered over at her phone, which seemed to beckon her. She tried to ignore it, but soon gave in. Placing her noodles on the kitchen counter, she picked up the receiver and dialled a number that was engraved in her mind many, many years ago. She twisted the cord in her fingers with anxiety. With each passing ring, she lost more of her nerve. Soon, someone picked up; "Hello?" asked the voice of a man. Lor froze solid as soon as she heard him, "Hello?" the voice repeated. Suddenly, any courage that she mustered to speak to him slipped away and she quickly hung up the receiver.

_May your smile. Shine on. Don't be scared,_

She stood there, frozen in time, her hand still pressed on the receiver, drowning in self-pity. Eventually, she lifted herself up, and looked down at the phone. A look crossed her face, a look that she so rarely ever showed- regret. She shook her head and turned to get herself cleaned up before bed.

_Your destiny may keep you warm,_

Tish laid face up in her bed; she didn't care about her surrounding at the moment. It was like the room didn't exist. All that she could do was stare at her hand, at the wound that she inflicted upon herself. "Why am I so self-destructive?" she asked herself through a tired throat. She couldn't even talk to her own parents about what happened, she slipped past them while hiding her hand from their line of sight so that they wouldn't ask so many questions. She rolled over and buried her face into her pillow, "Why did I have to hurt him?"

_Cuze all of the stars have faded away,_

Tino was also lying face up in his bed, a comic book suspended above his face, but he wasn't really reading it. His eyes falsely paced over the blur of colourful images. In truth, his mind was vexed with the cold reality of his actions that day. A girl that had been an integrate part of his life for as long as he can remember was now gone… a few streets away, but gone forever. How he wanted to turn back time, to go back to the horrible day and say something different to her, or even back a few hours ago, and stop himself. He moved the comic book away from his face and looked at the room. It wasn't even his room that now belonged to Dante; this is Moira's old bedroom, remodelled into a guest room. Not wanting to think about the situation anymore, he flopped the comic book onto the nightstand and turned off the light.

_Just try not to worry; you'll see them some day,_

"Yeah I know you wanted to come, I wanted you to come too," Carver spoke into his cell phone as he paced about his hotel suite in his housecoat, "It's crappy that you couldn't get the time off work……… no, no, everything's fine, I'm just tired……… he's fine, I guess……… well, you know how him and Tish were sort of a couple way back………… yeah, something like that. Which reminds me, Tino says 'Hi'……… ok, see you when I get back, love you babe." He said before hanging up the phone. Holding a glass of water in his hand, he looked out his wall-sized window towards the ocean view. He raised the glass at his own reflection in the window and sighed, "Here's to old friends."

_Take what you need, and be on your way,_

Lor came out of the bathroom in her bathrobe and her hair up in a towel. Before disappearing into the bedroom for the night, she glanced over to the kitchen. Stepping over, she grasped the cup of instant noodles that she left on the counter and motioned to toss it in the garbage. But the garbage can stood right next to the phone. She glared at it once more, contemplating that it might not be too late to try again. She then shook her head and tossed the cardboard cup in the trash. She turned off the kitchen light and walked over to the bedroom.

_And stop crying your heart out…_

But before entering, she stopped at the door, took a shallow breath, and whispered the words that she wish that she had the courage to tell him, "I'm sorry, daddy."

… _Stop crying your heart out._

Author's Notes:  
Yes, I know that I had just updated a few days ago, but I got really into this chapter and couldn't stop writing, even if Tino and Dixon's scene was difficult beyond belief. If you are curious about the song lyrics that I sprinkled between the paragraphs in the ending, it is "Stop Crying your Heart Out" by Oasis, a song that I listened to over and over again while writing those scenes. I personally loved how I ended this chapter, it showed that there is more drama going on than Tino and Tish's messed up relationship. Well, there's nothing more that I want to say at this point, except that I eagerly await your reviews. Later days.


	11. Tomorrow's Another Day

Time Capsule

Chapter 11: Tomorrow's Another Day

"What are you doing, mom?" Dante queried as he stepped down the stairs into the basement.

"Trying to- ugh, find something down here," his mother answered as she shifted old cardboard boxes out of her way, "For goodness sake, what is it with this basement, it looks like it hasn't been dusted down here for over a decade."

"And what are you trying to find?" Dante pressed as he sat down on the last step.

Emese stood up straight and cracked her back, "It's for your brother. It's this little metal box about yay big that has 'time capsule' written on the top. I've looked all over this basement and can't find it. I'm starting to think that it's buried somewhere in the back yard. Honestly, the lengths I go to for that boy…"

Dante interrupted her ranting, "Did you look under the stairs?"

Emese turned around to see that her son had just what she was looking for gripped in his hands, "Yeah, thanks honey," she said as she blew a stray hair from her face.

The sound of the doorbell rang throughout the house; "Oh, the guests are here," Emese said, slapping the dust off her arms and legs, "Here, I'll take that, why don't you go up and answer the door."

"Okay," Dante replied before heading back up the stairs.

Lor and Carver waited patiently outside until Dante opened the door, "Hello?" he asked, not recognizing them immediately.

"Hey little man," Carver greeted him, "Remember me?"

Dante narrowed his eyes at him, "Yeah, Carver, you were the guy my sister always called a 'two-timing jerk'."

Lor couldn't help laughing at Carver's expense, "And you do remember me?"

Dante took one look at Lor and his eyes went wide, "… Wait a minute… LOR?"

Lor kneeled down to his level, "Yep, how's my little hellion. My God, look at you! You're like twice the size that I've seen you last! Have you been working out?"

"Aw, yeah, I've gotten stronger," Dante boasted.

"Yeah, well, as tough as you are, you can still get beaten up by a girl," she said as she jokingly began to roughhouse with young Dante.

Emese eventually came to the door, "Dante, why don't you let Lor and Carver in?"

"Can I just let Lor in?" Dante asked.

"Dante!" his mother scolded.

"Alright, I'm sorry Carver," He apologized, even though he didn't really mean it, "Please come in."

As they were let in, Emese excused herself to go get her eldest son out of his room. "How come Dante likes you more than me?" Carver whispered to Lor when they were left alone.

"I don't know, I guess it's because I was his favourite babysitter, and you have a track record for cheating on his sister."

Carver was truly offended, "Hey! Now that's just malicious! Does it mean nothing to you people that I asked her to marry me?"

"Just call it a subtle reminder."

"No one trusts me here. I'll admit, it took some trial and error on my part, but now I know all there is about relationships. And I will NOT leave Moira's side."

"Alright, I'm sorry Carver." Lor sincerely apologized.

"Thank you," Carver smiled. Just then a very melancholy Tino made his way down the stairs, "Hey there T, we would have come here with Tish but all we got was her answering machine."

Tino raised a hand to stop him, "Guys, if you don't mind, I don't want to talk about Tish ever again." And with that he carried himself over to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Lor watched him then spun her head back over to Carver with a venomous glare in her eyes, "You know all there is about relationships, eh?" She accented by giving him a very unfriendly punch in the arm.

"Ow! Hey! What are you looking at me for? It's not my fault if those two can't get their acts together!"

"You shouldn't have left them alone so soon! Now they'll never speak to each other again, it's impossible!" Lor hissed.

"No. Impossible was me and Moira getting back together again, and I made that happen. Compared to that, this will be a snap."

"Well you'd better start making with your fingers, because this reunion won't be going on for very long."

Carver shook his head. "Lor, Lor, Lor. This is me you're talking to. Carver. The man. Trust me, by the time we part again, those two will be making goo goo eyes at each other. Heck, I bet Tino takes more time off and flies home with her! It's just a matter of--" Carver froze mid-sentence, his eyes getting narrow. "Oh sweet mercy!" He whispered, then cleared his throat. "Uh, guys. I'm really sorry, I just remembered somewhere I have to be!"

"Huh? Carv? Your leaving so soon?" Tino asked, looking confused.

Lor elbowed Carver in the stomach, pushing him into the dining room. "Um, excuse us for just one second." Lor grinned, showing all her teeth. As soon as they were safely out of Tino's earshot, she unloaded on her friend. "Carver! What do you think you're doing! You can't leave me alone with sad, sad Tino all day long! He's so depressing when he gets like this!"

"I know, I know. But trust me on this, it's very important that I leave!"

"Why!" Lor demanded.

"Because if I don't, the whole plan could fall apart!"

"You're serious?"

"Dead serious. Look, just trust me on this, okay? But I've really gotta go, before it's too late!"

Lor scowled, hiding her face. "You owe me so many for this it isn't even funny."

"Hey, if this all works out, it will be more than worth it. Besides, you know how to have fun! There's got to be some way to jolly Tino out of this. I'm sure you'll think of something." Carver poked his head back into the kitchen. "Hey, T. Sorry I gotta motor. Business calls. I promise I'll wrap it up today and make sure the rest of the week stays clear."

"Oh..." Tino seemed rather disappointed, and Carver couldn't blame him.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise. But hey, it's cool, because Lor is gonna spend the whole day with you!"

"She is?" This caused Tino to brighten considerably.

Lor waved hesitantly in his direction. "Yeah..." She laughed nervously. _Not that I know what we can possibly do!_

Carver made his way for the door when he bumped into Mrs. Dickson, "Whoa, where are you going in such a hurry?" the woman of the house asked.

"Uh, sorry Mrs. D, business calls," and with that he exited the house and drove off.

Emese watched him leave and then closed the front door, "He seems to have a lot of work for such a young man, I hope he doesn't grow old before his time." She then entered the kitchen, "Ah, Lor, will you be staying?"

"For the moment," Lor answered.

"What's in the box, mom?" Tino queried.

"Aw, c'mon, don't tell me that you guys don't remember this thing." Mrs. Dickson smiled. They both looked at her blank faced. After a while, she gave in, "It's your time capsule! Remember? When you guys were twelve."

"Are you kidding me?" Lor jested, "I can't even remember what I had for breakfast."

"Yeah, well, I thought now was as good a time as any to dig this old thing up… except that I was hoping that all four of you would be around to enjoy it."

"No problem, we'll just have to catch Carver when he's done doing what he's doing," Lor said.

"And… what about Tish?" The older woman boldly asked.

Lor looked over to Tino to field this question, but he only sat silently, looking off to the side with a bitter expression in his eyes. Lor bit her lip then looked back towards her hostess, "You know what? You should probably hold on to that for now. We're gonna go out for a bit."

"We are?" Tino asked.

"Sure, you need to get some fresh air. Take you're mind off of… stuff. How's about a movie. I think that 'Deranged Humanoids Ate My House' is playing right now."

Tino pondered for a moment then cocked a smile at Lor, "Sure, why not?"

A little while later, elsewhere in town, a melancholy woman stood at a bus stop speaking with her parents.

"I still don't understand why my Little Sweet Pea has to go so soon." Tish's mother pouted.

"Mama, I told you, I have an emergency teacher's conference that I can't miss!" Tish explained. She knew that the lies were piling up. But she simply felt that she had to leave. She had already caused enough grief for her friends. She even cut off all ties with one of them, and being so condescending to the other two, she was sure that she didn't deserve their sympathy. It was better for her to just slip away; return to her other life before she made things any worse. "I promise that I'll come down and visit more often," She said as she forced a smile.

Her father sighed and shook his head, "Whatever you be doing, know that we are always proud of you, Petratishcovna."

Tish looked over at the sound of a large vehicle approaching, "There's my bus. I'll call you when I land, Bye-bye Mama. Bye-bye Papa." She finished by giving them each a hug and stepping on the bus destined for the airport.

Once she took her seat she looked out the window to watch her parents wave at her before fading into the distance. Afterwards, she sank her head into her seat and closed her eyes. She didn't notice that a familiar face climbed onto the bus at the next stop and sat down right beside her, "And where do you think you're going?"

Tish bolted her eyes open "Carver? What are you doing here?"

"I asked first."

Tish brought the tips of her fingers up to her forehead and rubbed her eyelids, "Isn't it obvious? I'm going back home."

Carver leaned back in his seat, "Ah, that's it. So you think that if you leave now you can't screw things up anymore."

Tish shot him an icy glare, Carver caught the glare and tried to lighten her mood, "You see, at this point, Tino would say something like, 'knock before entering my mind'." He let out a quick laugh then retracted it when he saw that Tish wasn't sharing his humour.

"Are you going to bug me for the entire bus ride?" Tish asked with a lack of amusement.

"Okay, jokes aside. You should get off this bus."

"Why?"

"So that we can sit down at a restaurant and have a nice talk. That, and the longer we sit here, the further of a walk we'll have to get back to where I parked my car."

Tish cocked an eyebrow at him then pulled the cable to signal for the next stop, "Honestly, I don't know how you do it, Carver. Alright, I'll give all of this a second chance."

"More like, you should give yourself a second chance," Carver spoke under his breath.

While they got off at the next stop and made their short trek back to Carver's car, a certain blonde woman stormed out of a movie theatre.

"God, that movie was terrible," Lor complained as she left the theatre part way through the film.

"And you're not just saying that because the usher kicked you out for throwing popcorn at the screen?" Tino smirked as he followed after her.

"It was cause and effect," Lor pointed out, "I threw the popcorn _because_ the movie sucked."

"Right, so what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. I've got some good movies on DVD back at my place. Want to go watch?"

"Are you sure? Won't it be crowded?"

"Duh, I live by myself now, you know?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, it's kind of hard to picture you in a house without all fourteen of your brothers. What's it like?"

"Paradise," Lor threw her arms up. "You don't know how lucky you are never to have to worry about getting dog piled every time you walk in your door. You had such a lucky childhood."

"Hey, you're the one who grew up with your family intact. I hardly ever get to see my father."

Tino's words set a cold feeling in Lor's stomach, a feeling Tino could see reflected in her face, "Yeah," Lor breathed sadly before turning her face away from her friend.

"W-Wait, Lor! Was it something I said?"

Lor let out a staggered sign, "Let's just say that my dad and I weren't exactly on the best of terms when I left home to go to Europe."

"Wow, I'm sorry Lor, I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't. It was something that I kept from all of you when I left," She shook the melancholy out of her head, "But I'm back in Bahia Bay, right? So I can call him anytime I want."

"But, have y-"

Lor cut him off, "C'mon, you haven't seen my place yet. It's real nice, let's go." She said with a smile as she motioned Tino to follow her down the sidewalk towards her place.

Tino wore a concerned look, "Yeah, I'm sure it is," He said before following after her.

Author' Notes:  
Hey everyone, I'm back! Sorry for the long absence, there were several reasons why I didn't complete this chapter much earlier. Firstly, I felt that I needed a break from all this high-strung drama stuff so I turned my attention towards writing my Teen Titans fan fic "In Purgatory's Shadow". Namely because I thought that if I wrote for a busier fandom I'd get more reviews. But ironically, most of the reviews I got for that story had been, well, short and meaningless, basically just telling me to update soon. And to my surprise, I've been getting very meaningful reviews for Time Capsule in the last couple of days. Another reason why this update took so long is because I really don't like how this chapter turned out, and I'm still not 100 happy with it. Actually, this chapter serves as more of a filler, a set-up for the events that will follow. And if you think that the story was dramatic before, just wait until you see what happens next. To wrap up here, yes, I am back to writing Time Capsule… and In Purgatory's Shadow both at the same time. So the next update hopefully won't take quite as long. Later days.


	12. In Too Deep

Time Capsule

Chapter 12: In Too Deep

"Welcome to my humble abode," Lor announced with arms swung open, revealing her apartment to Tino who walked in after.

"Wow, nice place," He commented, comparing this modestly furnished yet graciously decorated one-bedroom apartment to his own place back in Florida.

"Yeah, the rent's great but they only give you basic cable. Hence the large stack of movies." She said as she pointed out a shelf stacked with DVDs.

"Oh." Tino said simply as he raised his eyebrows at the selection before him.

Lor laughed and shook her head, "Okay movie boy, take your pick while I get out some munchies," She then walked over to the fridge and peered inside, "Is cola good for you?"

"Sure," Tino responded, "Hey how's this movie? 'Wrath of the Zombie Ninjas'."

"Well, you can't go wrong when you've got ninjas and zombies in the same title," Lor smirked as she walked over carrying a bag of potato chips under one arm and both their drinks on a flat plate with the other.

"Have you watched it yet?" Tino queried.

"Nope, just bought it the other day but haven't had time to sit down and enjoy it yet." She sat down on the couch and laid the snacks and drinks out on the coffee table, "It's one of those dubbed over kung-fu flicks, and you know I can't get enough of those."

Tino bolted to his feet and adopted a comical martial arts pose while speaking like a poorly dubbed samurai movie, "Ooohhh! You dare to side with the evil Zombie Ninjas? You have dishonoured our people, prepare to KUNG-FU FIGHT!"

Lor gave him a raised eyebrow as Tino tried to coax her into a mock fight, "You do know that I might hurt you, right?"

"Is that a promise?" Tino laughed.

Lor responded by flinging a pillow at him, "Throw the disc in the machine before I throw you against the wall."

"Is it just me, or have you gotten even more feisty since we last met?" Tino asked, opening the DVD case.

"It comes with the territory. When you're a female bartender, you've gotta put up with a lot of lame guys who have had one too many and think you couldn't possibly resist them."

"Oh, so you're saying it's an occupational hazard?"

"It sounds a lot better than just saying I was born this way."

Clear across town, in a quaint little restaurant, a rather depressed woman sat with a reserved old friend waiting for their meal to arrive. One of them waiting patiently while the other could barely wait for her friend to finally break the silence in this otherwise empty restaurant. Carver finally folded his hands over, "So what do you want to talk about?"

Tish cocked an eyebrow, "I thought that was what _you_ wanted to do?"

"But you're the one who has issues that need to be talked about." Carver returned.

Tish crossed her arms, "Is this a free theory session or am I being charged by the hour."

"Well, if you feel obliged, you could always pick up the bill." Carver jested.

Tish rolled her eyes, "Like that's going to happen," She then took a deep sigh and leaned back in her chair, "So what should I talk about? You seem to know so much about what goes on in my head that I'm afraid I might bore you."

Carver repelled her contempt remark, "Gee, a tad bit defensive, aren't we? Okay, I promise to stop reading your mind… weird, did I just sound like Mrs. Dickson to you?"

"Now that's a disturbing thought." Tish smirked off to the side, "Okay, I'm not in a mood to make this difficult. So what? Shall I regale you with the reason why I felt that I have to leave?"

"No, I already figured that out. What I think you need to ask yourself is why do you feel that we wouldn't miss you when you were gone." His tone dropping down to something more serious.

She took a moment to absorb that question, "I know that Tino won't," She responded, throwing her head to the side.

"Well, you did work him over real bad. Lor's with him right now, trying to pull his head out of the sand… so to speak."

"You make it sound like I'm the villain!" Tish spat yet still maintaining herself, "Yes, he came onto me and I blew him off. Simple as that," she illustrated by swinging her hand outward, "I can't help it if that guy is too sensitive."

"That used to be what you loved about him."

That statement took her by surprise. For the first time in a while, she remembered all of the things about Tino that she found irresistible. She cupped her head in her hand then brought it back up in a deep sigh, "Maybe," she said distantly.

Carver saw that he finally hit somewhere buried deep inside, "You know he missed you after you left. He never dated another girl when we went to college."

"So what you're really saying is that he still never learned how to talk to girls."

"As I recall, the two of you used to do plenty of talking... and a whole lot more." Carver cleared his throat.

"Your point being?"

"Tino always knew how to talk to you. Tish, he worshipped the ground you walked on."

"That's his misfortune."

"Oh come on Tish!" Carver set his coffee mug onto the table with force, emphasizing his point. "You two were so in love! How can one little fight have changed all that? It's not like he cheated on you."

"He said some very cruel things to me, Carver."

"Things he regrets, he told you so himself. You know you didn't want things to stay like this forever. Whether you admit it or not, part of the reason you came here for this reunion was to make up with Tino."

"You know what Carver? You assume too much about me!"

"But is it true?"

"Oh, please. If it were true, why would I have brushed him off last night when he kissed me? Or do you know the answer to that one too?"

"Maybe… but I'd like to hear it from you."

Tish stood up from her chair, "You're treading into dark water pal! I am not some open book that you can read through to the end and act so smug because you know something that only you and the author know! My personal feelings are my business. And it's my business whether I choose to leave or not!"

She got up to leave but then Carver grasped her wrist, "Please Tish, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to hurt you, or control your life. I just want to help… I feel that I owe you."

"Owe me, for what?"

"For doing the exact same thing for me; getting inside my head and pointing me in the right direction. If it weren't for you, I'd have probably grown up to be a terrible person. Or worse."

Tish sat back down in her chair, curious at the switch of tone in her friend. It was like he had something to share with her now, "What do you mean worse?"

Carver let out a staggered breath, "Do you remember what happened back in the twelve grade… with Bree and Colby?"

"How could I forget? The whole town was devastated. And poor Bree."

"Yeah, well, the day that they announced it in class, and we all had a moment of silence for Colby. It made me realize something."

"And what was that?"

"That I've been taking my friends for granted. Especially you."

"Are you trying to flatter me?"

"No, I'm serious. Look, I used to want to be just like Bree and Colby. It was the most important thing in the world to me. And at that moment, when I heard that he died because he was riding his motorcycle without his helmet, while intoxicated, the first thought that popped into my head was 'he probably did it because he thought it was cool'. And if it wasn't for you, constantly bickering at me, keeping me honest and open. I probably would have done the same thing."

"Carver... you really think that I saved you?"

"Tish, all I know is that if you weren't always nagging me to aspire to more, I think there's a good chance I would've been on that bike with Colby."

"I never knew you felt that way." Tish blushed.

"Hey, I know you were just doing your job. Ever since we were little, you've always been mothering us."

"Please, Carver, you're starting to embarrass me."

"Sorry, you know how I can be. Anyway, I just... you know, you used to mother Tino more than you did Lor and myself. And I think he needed that. Whether you want to admit it or not, that boy loves you. And I know that somewhere in there, you love him too. Maybe you've managed to bury it for the past five or so years, but it's there, I know it is."

"Please, stop!" Tish begged him. "It's gone, Carver. Maybe your right, maybe it is in me somewhere. But it's gone, Carver. I don't know what you want from me. I can't just start having those kinds of feelings for Tino again."

"Why did you stop having them in the first place?"

"Why are you putting me through this!"

"Because someone has to make you stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop punishing yourself!"

Tish was taken back by his words but she was exempted from giving an immediate response as their food arrived. Given a moment of contemplation, she eventually spoke up during the meal. "I… suppose that I could talk to Tino tomorrow… give him another chance," her resolve growing distance at the end.

Carver waited until his mouth wasn't full before responding, "You shouldn't do it for him Tish, do it for yourself."

Back across town, in Lor's apartment, the two twenty-something year olds stood up and stretched their arms as the credits rolled on the television screen, "Who knew that a Japanese zombie flick could take so long." Lor complained.

"I don't know, I liked it," Tino commented, "Sure I was in it for the Ninja zombies, but the plot kind of dragged me in too."

"C'mon, the zombies barely had the spotlight with those two romantic youths skipping across the rooftops."

"Yeah, but when the zombies bit the girl and she comes back for her boyfriend, that was really emotional… Holy crap it's dark out! What time is it?"

"Um, quarter to twelve," Lor casually responded.

"Geez, I've gotta call home before they start wondering where I am!"

"Aww, does the little mamma's boy gotta go tell his _maw-mee_ that he's not lost out in the cold?" Lor mocked.

"Hey, I am not a momma's boy! Now can I please use your phone so that I can call my… just give me the damn phone."

Lor smirked and gestured towards the phone. Tino walked over and called home, "…….. Hi, mom…..I'm hanging out at Lor's place……………. No, I don't know when I'll be in. We're in the middle of watching a movie." Tino easily lied. He didn't feel like going home, and as long as Lor didn't kick him out, he would stay until he felt too tired to remain awake any longer. "…………………No, I'll be sure to be quiet. I know you don't want Dante woken up………………… Right. I'll see you tomorrow………….. Say hi to Carver for me if I'm still asleep when he gets there……….. Yeah………….. Aww, mom, do I have to?……… Okay, okay. I love you too…………… Nah, it didn't kill me. Okay. Night!" Tino managed to hang up the phone, letting out a deep breath of air.

"Wow, Tino. That was really smooth. You know, for a minute there, I almost believed you were a grown man!" Lor laughed at him, enjoying the chance to cut loose.

"Ha, ha. Very funny!" Tino sulked. "Can I help it if my Mom keeps such extensive tabs on me?"

"No, I guess not." Lor cleared her throat. "But you've gotta admit, it's hysterical."

"Maybe from your end." Tino grumbled. "Anyway, I told her I can take care of myself tonight, so it's no big. But I suppose it's good that no matter how big you are, you're parent's will always be there to worry about you." He then looked over at a somewhat drawn in Lor, "What? What did I… oh, um, sorry about that."

Lor shook her head in a slow sway, "No… it's not your fault. It's just that… it's not something that I like to talk about or even tell anyone."

"Well, you told me," Tino said with sympathy, "That's something, isn't it?"

Lor leaned against the couch, "Well, I guess that's because you're my childhood friend, Tino. Maybe I just feel that I can tell you these kinds of things."

"You're being fairly open all of the sudden. Are you saying that I'm like a shoulder to cry on?"

"I wouldn't go that far, I'm still the rough and tough Lor," she puffed herself up, "But still, you do make a good listener."

"What exactly happened between you and your father?" Tino asked, releasing the question that has been eating away at the back of his mind.

"Oh, its just this big fight that we had before I left for Europe," She sighed, trying to downplay the gravity of her story, "You know what my dad's like, over protective of his little girl and thinks the world of my education."

"Oh… so I guess he didn't take too kindly to you deciding to forgo college and travel the world, eh?"

"You could say that. We'd get in these huge shouting matches or go forever without speaking to each other. It got to the point where I could hardly wait to leave and not look back."

"Have you tried talking to him since?"

"Once, about two years ago, during a… um…" she swallowed hard, "…family get together. But neither of us were in the mood for talking." Her breath became staggered and she sat down on the couch, shielding her face from her friend. Determined not to let him see her eyes starting to water, "C'mon," she said in a forcefully steady voice, "Let's see what kinds of extras this DVD has."

Tino slowly approached her, "Lor, I just have one more question."

"What?" Lor asked in a sigh, assuring herself that she could stand one more question.

"Is this the reason why you came back to Bahia Bay?"

"To see my father? Maybe… at least I thought it was. But it's like there's still a wall between us. It's ridiculous but I can't bring myself to speak to him. I can't admit to him that I…" She trailed off.

"… Was wrong?" Tino tried to finish for her.

"Am lonely," Lor corrected, looking straight into Tino's eyes. Blinking her own eyes dry, she bore a strange kind of smile, as if sharing her feeling with Tino lifted a lot of weight off her back.

"Lonely?" Tino asked while subconsciously shifting an inch or two away from Lor, as her affectionate nature seemed, somehow, wrong to him.

"Well, yeah." Lor explained, suddenly growing very interested in her lap. "I mean, I've done a lot since the last time we met. I've seen the world. I've done some crazy stuff. Some of it I'm taking to my grave. And that was nice, yeah." Lor sighed, trying to explain her situation. "But look at me, Tino. I came home, and I never even got up the nerve to talk to my family. I never even called your mom to get in touch with you. Ditto for Tish and Carver. I don't even have any real friends, just an impressive collection of souvenirs and nick-knacks that I've picked up in my travels. Do you think... do you think there's something missing with me, Tino?"

"Missing?" Tino looked at her, asking for clarification.

"That maybe something's not right. I mean, I've always been different than you and Carver and Tish."

"We've all been different from each other."

"But I can't ever take anything seriously. Back when we were in school, that whole 'living for the weekend' thing we used to swear by? Well, I don't know about you guys, but I really bought into that. I could never really make myself care about most of the stuff in school. That's why it was so hard for me to get good grades."

"You used to be a star on the basketball team."

"Yeah, I was. But that's because I care about basketball. I don't care about math class, or history, or science, or any of that junk. I feel like I should, but... I just don't."

"None of us are perfect Lor, and none of us are alone either. You've traveled the world, met so many people, you done something that most people would never dare to do in their entire lives let alone right out of high school. I'm sure that there's at least someone out there that sees things your way."

"Well, there was this one guy in New York, possibly just as wild as me if not more. I met him at a bar and I thought he was totally into me. So we spent the night…" Lor paused then gave a huff, "But when I woke up in the morning, he was gone."

"Ouch, so what did you do?"

"I looked him up, hoping to talk to him. I know it sounds stupid of me but you know how it is when you really want someone. I mean, you must've had that feeling with Tish when you guys did it, right?"

"Did what?" Tino asked, blank faced.

Lor rolled her eyes. "You know, sex!" Lor laughed as Tino's face turned a bright shade of crimson. "Honestly, we're not kids anymore Tino, we can talk about…" Lor trailed off, studying the expression on Tino's face. "Oh, my gosh! You didn't, did you? You're totally a virgin!"

"Lor!"

"What? It's not like there's anyone else around to hear about it." She shook her head, still laughing. "I can't believe it! You were with Tish so long, I just assumed. I mean, I'm not trying to say she's easy or anything, but... she really left you in the lurch, didn't she?"

"It's not like that." Tino sighed. "Things between Tish and I were always complicated. I guess we just... didn't want to risk making it worse. And then our relationship just kind of ended."

"Dude, that's like way harsh. Okay, so um, what experience have you had?" Lor asked.

"Experience, well, I mean, Tish and I used to make out a lot." Tino hesitated, feeling embarrassed.

"Did you ever get to second base?" Lor asked bluntly.

"Lor!" Tino objected.

"What! Oh, come on, don't be such a prude."

"I'm not being a prude, I'm just... I don't want to make her sound cheap. Even if I am really angry with her right now."

"Okay, I'm gonna take that as a no, then." Lor furrowed her lip, realizing she had just made Tino feel more inadequate than he already felt with his current Tish situation. "Um, hey, don't get weirded out or anything, but, you know, if you want to cop a pity feel or something, I won't get all weird about it."

Tino's immediate response was nothing short of falling off the couch. "Please tell me that you're joking!"

Lor shook her head and chuckled, "I'm sorry, Tino. Did that sound weird?"

"Weird? No. I mean, come on, what guy doesn't want to get lessons in Boob Fondling 101 from one of his best friends?"

"Okay, when you say it that way, it does sound like all kinds of wrong," Lor admitted, "But I think you're problem is that you're afraid of intimacy. The way I see it, what you need is a little practice with someone you trust."

"It's not that, it's just… Lor, you and I are lifelong friends. It just wouldn't be right."

"Oh, c'mon. That never stopped you and Tish from hooking up, and it's not like we're going to re-enact the Kama Sutra. It's just some innocent fun; a little something to help you loosen up. But if you're not comfortable with this, I completely understand."

"Really?"

"Sure. But really Tino, I just think it's sad to go through your life passing up everything because you're afraid of the consequences. It's just the philosophy that I live by, you'll never know what'll happen until you just do it."

"Just do it, eh?" Tino contemplated for a moment, "Well, what exactly did you have in mind here?" He asked bashfully.

Lor smiled as she slid closer to Tino, directing his hands onto not so much seductive parts of her, but enticing parts none the less, "Now, if you feel that it'll help, you can just think of me as Tish." She breathed as she glided a hand up Tino's shoulder and around his head. She was about to draw him in but then halted and raised her eyes at her frozen friend, "Um… no offence, but I've seen blow up dolls get more involved than you. So maybe you could start caressing my thigh or something."

"Oh, um, sorry," Tino responded as he obeyed her orders in a somewhat robotic motion.

Lor scoffed, "Oh, come on, I know you can do better than that. I've seen you and Tish out in public acting like your tongues were stuck together."

Tino chuckled where he would have been embarrassed. Somehow, his current position made such talk less taboo, "Okay, I'll try harder."

"Damn straight you will," Lor said as she continued where she left off. She pulled Tino in to lock their lips together. Tino was reluctant for about half a second until he warmly accepted. There was something irresistible about it. What he thought was wrong suddenly felt so right. Gradually, his arms started to get to work, all to well remembering their long suspended duty. Their bodies twisted in a rhythmic motion until, after a prolonged embrace, Tino finally opened his eyes and reality slapped him in the face. His shoulder devil had fallen from its perch and his opposing angel was screaming in his ear.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't right." He confessed as he abruptly stood up, "We shouldn't have done this. I have to go now."

He got up and walked towards the door. But Lor leaped up and beat him in a race for the door, blocking his escape, "Tino, you're doing it again." Lor persisted with a soft voice, placing her hands on his shoulders. "You've always done this. Don't take this the wrong way, okay? But I think this is part of the reasons you and Tish had that fight all those years ago."

"What am I doing?"

"You're thinking too much! I mean, Tish is the kind of girl who over thinks everything too. If the both of you started over thinking... yeah, bad news there. You have to stop being so afraid of change. Spend a couple of years bumming around Europe, and you'll learn some stuff about change. Don't think, Tino, not now. For once in your life... just feel." Lor trailed off, her left arm dropping to her side. He was so lost. His eyes looked like they felt so much. Sorrow, confusion, even a trace of anger at the way she was judging him, she suspected. But what else could she do? Someone had to tell him.

"But, Lor, my entire... this is who I am... isn't it?" Tino sounded befuddled, and Lor let herself take over for him.

"Shh." She whispered, brushing her lips against his. "No more thinking. And while we're at it, no more talking."

Author's Notes:  
I'd imagine that all of you Tino/Lor fans are going OMG, while all of you Tino/Tish fans are going WTF. Let's just say that the story is about to get very, VERY interesting. Oh, what a cruel twist of fate this is, just as Tish comes to some sort of resolve, something very naughty was unfolding in Lor's apartment. Now I'm not a Tish hater, and I'm not going to push her out of the spotlight to make this a Tino/Lor story. But let's just say that things are about to get very complicated for Tino.


	13. Consequences to our Actions

Time Capsule

Chapter 13: Consequences to our Actions

Warning! Warning! This chapter contains a _tastefully_ done sex scene. I find nothing wrong with it but if you have a problem with this than skip right over to paragraph 8.

"Lor...but...we can't..."

Lor only grinned in response and gave him a push, sending her old friend sprawling backwards, conveniently falling onto her mattress. She wasted in no time in shutting the door with one long leg before following. Before Tino could even get his bearings, he suddenly found himself pinned beneath Lor, her arms trapping him on either side, her right knee locking his leg in place. "Sorry about that, security you know. Before you board the plane, we have to see what you're bringing aboard." Lor continued to look upon Tino the same way a snake looks at its dinner as she ran one of her flat palms across his shirt, bringing her index finger to bear on the parts underneath that felt the most... interesting. "Well now, I'd say you're entirely too overdressed for this flight, now aren't you. She quickly began to claw at his shirt, pulling it out from his pants and almost ripping it until Tino reluctantly raised his arm upwards, assisting her process greatly. "That's much better."

"Why?" Tino asked, in vain attempts to catch his breath as she ravaged him with kisses that redefined his idea of intimacy.

"Because I want to." was all Lor could explain as she renewed her efforts. Once she had succeeded in undressing Tino down to his intimate apparel, Lor went to work on her own clothing. Tino shut his eyes while she undressed, feeling guilty for wanting to look at his friend in a way he had always told himself was inappropriate. Sensing his hesitancy, Lor sheltered his naive eyes from her naked form when she finally shed her last stitch of clothing, pushing herself against him and keeping his eyes occupied with hers. "Mmm, looks like you made it past security." She said with a warmer, much softer kiss. She bent her head around to his ear and whispered, "You're cleared for takeoff."

"But... I don't really know... I mean, I know what to do, but I don't..."

"That's alright. You'll find I'm a hell of a co-pilot." Lor smiled, less wolfishly now, almost a hint of tenderness. She snaked an arm downward and gently took her target in her hand.

"Wait!" Tino shouted. "Shouldn't we at least get, you know, protection?"

Lor smiled and ran her free hand through his hair once. She whispered in his ear once again. "I'm on the pill." She exhaled a full breath into him, sending a shudder down his spine. Lor used the extraction to get them moving down the runway. Tino couldn't recall having a coherent thought for the next ten minutes.

"Do you really think that he still loves me?" Tish asked as she and Carver drove away from the restaurant.

"Where have you been these last few days? Of course he still loves you!" Carver answered while still keeping his eyes on the road, "Believe me, I spent two years of college with the post-Tish Tino. I would try to get him into the social scene by dragging him to parties and introducing him to some nice girls. But he said that none of them could replace you. It was kind of pathetic." He glanced over to see Tish giving him an icy stare.

"Pathetic in sort of a hopeless romantic kind of way," he corrected with a goofy grin, "But it speaks volumes about his devotion to you doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it does," Tish admitted in almost a whisper.

A few moments of silence passed between them as shadows cast from the street lamps panned across their faces. "And what about you?" Carver finally spoke up.

"What about me?"

"When you went to University, did you have anyone special?"

"Special? I don't know… do you mean did I hook up with any guys while I was there?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

"Um… a couple, I guess."

"You guess? What, you can't remember how many boyfriends you've had?"

"Well, once in a blue moon guys would ask me out to dinner or something. So, yes I've been on dates. But I've never had a serious relationship with anyone there. Not like what I had with Tino."

"Well, that settles it then, he's nuts over you and you're nuts over him.

"Nuts over him?" Tish blinked, "I don't know if I would go that far, Carver."

"You heard me. Hey, you're the one who admitted that even after all these years you still haven't had a real relationship with anyone else. Neither has he. You two just have unfinished business, that's all there is to it. The sooner you accept that, that you become okay with it, the happier you'll be."

"What if I don't want to be okay with it? I like my life as it is, Carver. I'm not saying that it's perfect, or even fulfilling. But it's manageable. It's not that I've forgotten all the good times Tino and I had. And there were some really good ones. But with everything that happened to us... I'm just not sure if I can open myself up to that kind of hurt again."

Carver sighed, letting a silence settle in between them before speaking again. "I wish I could choose that for you, but the fact is I can't. Look, Tish... no one knows about boy/girl problems better than me. You know what my track record with Moira was, right? But we're together again anyway. Even though we might both get hurt. Because that's what it takes to be happy. You have to open yourself up. Everything in life is a gamble! You can't just sit idly by and wonder why happiness isn't coming to you. You've gotta go out there and find it."

"You make everything sound so simple." Tish groaned, "You have no idea what I'm going through every day!"

"And ever since the day you and Tino broke up you've been closing your eyes and shutting your ears to anything you don't want to see or here. Real life isn't like that, Tish. I'm trying to help you. As a friend. If you want to be safe, you can stay here and be safe. No one will bother you. But you're never going to be happy, either."

Tish let out a little smirk, "Are you always this profound?"

"Was I being profound? I didn't notice. Anyways, here's your stop." He said as he pulled up to the curb in front of Tish's house. Tish peered out her window so see her childhood home sitting across the street. All of the lights were off since her parents had gone to bed. She didn't move or even motion to grab her luggage; she only looked at her feet and bore a sad look on her face. "Oh, what now? Don't tell me that you have a problem with your parents too!"

"No, it's not that, it's just that I already told them that I was going back to Washington State for a teacher's conference."

"Which was a lie," Carver noted.

"Yes, it was a lie," Tish retorted, "But what am I gonna say when I walk in there late at night?"

"I don't know… the truth, maybe?"

"Like I said: You make everything sound so easy. I mean, I'm not really the girl who lies you her parents like that."

"Ah ha, and exactly how much do you like broccoli?"

"Now c'mon, that's completely different. If I were to tell them the true reason for my leaving I would have to explain everything to them. And you and I both know that there are some things that you just don't want to sit down and discuss with your parents."

"I have a feeling that it's more than that, isn't it?"

"Well, there's also that with all the things going on this week, I don't really want to live in my parent's house and sleep in my childhood room. It makes me feel like a kid who will get grounded for staying out late drinking or something."

Carver responded to with a cocked head and a raised eyebrow. "And what do you expect me to do?"

Tish hesitated for a moment then turned to him with her answer "I'm ready to take you up on your offer."

"Um… what offer?"

"The one you gave me when we met at the airport, about the extra room in your hotel suite."

"You actually remembered that?"

"Yep. Besides, I think you owe me for a few thousand favors over the years."

Carver shook his head as he shifted the car into gear, "Alright, under one condition: Tomorrow, you'll sit down with Tino and tell him how you really feel."

Tish let her head settle back into the headrest of her seat, "Okay. But, um, Carver… when did you realize that you loved Moira?"

"Ha, easy question. The moment I laid eyes on her," He answered confidently.

Tish huffed, "That's the oldest answer in the book."

"Oh, but it's true. I still remember the day when we all got to go to Tesla Park. Man, she had beautiful-"

"Shoes?" Tish finished for him.

"Actually, yes."

"You know, Carver, there's more to a woman than her pair of... shoes."

"Now let me finish, when I looked up into her eyes, I felt that I could never turn away… now how's that for romantic?"

"Cheesy," Tish answered with casual bluntness.

"Cheesy? Aww c'mon, girl! That was poetic."

"I've read drug store romance novels with lines like that!" Tish retorted.

"You're the one with issues coming out the wazzo and you're criticizing my love life? Besides, Moira eats that stuff up."

"Lucky girl," Tish whispered to herself as she shifted herself in her seat, resting her hands up by her head as she watched the buildings pass by outside her window.

The Bahia Marina Inn was swankier than Tish had ever dreamed. She had roamed its halls once in her pre-adolescent years, trying to find the members of her favorite band. But she hadn't gotten to see any of the rooms. After glimpsing the luxurious pad that Carver was staying in, all her expectations were surpassed. "So this is what it's like to be successful," Tish pondered, trying not to gawk.

"The spare room is in the back." Carver explained. "Just follow the hallway next to the TV. You need anything?"

"No, thanks Carver. I think I should get some rest."

"I hear ya. Hey, I'll wake you up in the morning, okay?"

"All right. Good night, Carver," Tish said, setting off for her room. Her long hair bounced twice behind her before she was gone.

"Good night," Carver called after her.

Inside of her room, Tish undressed, then began rummaging through her suitcase for something appropriate to wear to bed. Finally settling on a plain purple nightshirt, she pulled it over here head and took her toiletry bag into the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, thoughts came to her, unbidden and frightening. Tomorrow, she was going to confront Tino with the truth. The truth. Was there anything more fragile or damaging? Even after all the years that had passed, the same problem still remained. How do you tell someone you've lied about matters of the heart?

By the time the numbness in Tino's brain wore off, it was morning. He was awoken to the tinted sunlight though the window blinds illuminating the room. His first thought was "It… wasn't a dream." Indeed it really happened. It felt so surreal to him that he had to look over the most prominent memories from last night to convince himself… which only served to widen the grin across his face. He didn't want to get up or move an inch… only to bask in the pinnacle of ecstasy which he had denied himself for all these years.

Soon the aroma of frying bacon caressed his nose followed by an angelic voice humming in the kitchen. He glanced over to his side. Apparently Lor was already up and making breakfast. Leaping out of the bed with a newfound liveliness, Tino threw on his clothes and exited the bedroom to meet her.

"Good morning sailor," Lor grinned.

"Good morning. You weren't there when I woke up." Tino said hesitantly, knowing it made him sound very insecure.

"Breakfast doesn't cook itself," Lor shrugged, moving the bacon around in the pan.

"I know, but… I thought there was supposed to be more than just, last night, I mean."

"Oh," Lor said, the realization dawning on her. She giggled at him. Tino was always so adorable, but in this kind of situation, she truly realized how irresistible that could be. "You want to cuddle." And truthfully, for the first time she could remember in ages, she wanted to as well. But she refused to let herself. Prolonging the experience would only lead to a repeat of last night's performance, which meant they might never even get out of bed today, and… no. Better to make a clean break from this here and now. Her heart, not to mention her libido, went out to him, but somehow, she knew it would only end badly if she indulged herself.

"What? Cuddle? I do not! No way! I only wanted to, ah, talk to you before you got up, about--"

"I'm sorry, Tino. I just… don't really go in for that whole cuddly, 'was it good for you?' stuff.

Okay, he managed to be cool for the witty morning after banter… but how was he going to follow through with this? Does this make them a couple now? Was all this out of love? In his sparse experience in relationships, he only assumed that they were supposed to work their way up to the climax… not the other way around. He leaned over to her and gave her a peck on the cheek to see the reaction, Lor actually returned a playful smile. This confirmed Tino's ideal. "So… what should we do now?" He asked very causally not at all giving away the idea that he really _didn't_ know what to do now.

"Well, _I've_ got to get myself cleaned up and go to work." She answered very matter-of-fact.

"No I mean about us?" Tino pressed.

"What about us?" Lor asked.

His eyebrows slightly curled into a worried fashion. "You know, _us_… with last night.. and um… you and me… dating and having more-."

"Whoa there sparky!" Lor interrupted, "Don't go getting the wrong idea about this, I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I was doing you a favor… you know, just having some fun. A roll in the hay, that's all it was."

Tino couldn't work out a response… all that came out was muttered stammering.

"Look Tino," Lor said sympathetically, "You're a cute guy and all, and I got to admit that for a first timer, you weren't all that bad. But it just wouldn't work out between you and me. We work better as friends, and nothing more… and don't go thinking I'm a call girl or anything like that. Like I said, I was just doing you a favor. And now that you've actually gone and done it, I'm sure that you'll have no problem actually talking to girls now."

She saw that her explanation failed to make him see this from her perspective, she had almost forgotten how emotionally frail he was. She thought to herself that maybe it _was_ a mistake. Resolving to drop the subject before she started to come off as some heartless slut, she slid the bacon onto a plate with eggs and toast and handed it to Tino. "Come on," She said in one last resolve, "We're still friends right? Let's not make this awkward."

"Yeah, friends," Tino responded trying his best to be casual about this. He finished the rest of the sentence within the sanctity of his mind, "…Five years ago maybe."

"Okay," Lor confirmed giving him a conversely innocent pat on the shoulder before carrying herself off to the bathroom.

Tino was left there alone with his thoughts. He began to fathom that this is what they called "casual sex" or a "one night stand". Poking his breakfast with his fork, the only sound being the shower running in the next room. Left to it's own devices, Tino's psyche began to drum up long repressed feelings of rejection- easily applying them to this situation.

"She used me," His inner voice began to lecture, "It meant nothing to her at all… I was just a toy to her; a game. A cat with a ball of yarn- to be tossed around until she grew tired of me. There was no emotion behind it- she felt nothing for me… she was just screwing around."

He looked over to the bathroom door, and then looked back down at his meal. He pushed the plate away and fished into his wallet. In one of those little pockets, tucked under his bankcard, and under his old student ID he never saw fit to throw away, was an old, thin piece of cardboard, folded over itself a few times to fit. He carefully unfolded it, as time and compression had made the edges very fragile, and took a deep look at it. Most of the ink and print had worn off of it, but it was clear that this was an old postcard from Italy. He set it on the table and got up to leave.

"Man," He said grudgingly under his breath as he was heading out the door, "… it's just like with Dot."

Author's Notes:  
And thus brings forth another chapter. Sorry for the delay, but I am working on two stories at the same time now. Anyways, interesting fact, the T&L sex scene was actually written months ago, somewhere around the second chapter if my memory serves. It was all Malachite's doing. We were discussing how the adult versions of the Weekenders would individually handle something like sex. When it came to Tino, I thought it would be funny and somehow fitting if he never got any. And then we started to joke around about how Lor would make him a man. And then, well, Malachite went and wrote that scene. It was so good that I had to write it in. There are actually a handful of really good hypothetical scenes that we have written. I only hope that the better ones manage to get written into the story. Anyways, expect a long overdue flashback chapter next time. Until then, later days.


	14. Flashback: More Than Friends

Time Capsule

Chapter 14: Flashback- Age 14- "More than Friends"

"Ah, love is in the air," Carver commented as Tino made his way down the boardwalk to meet up with his good buddy at the usual hang out spot by the beach. Although it never snowed in Bahia Bay or even got that cold, one couldn't deny that there was indeed more colour in the trees and new life in the air.

"Everybody says that on the first day of Spring," Tino noted.

"Yeah, but you gotta admit, in the girlfriend department, you and I are pretty much set. I mean, me, that's to be expected. I got _style_. But I'm proud of you little buddy."

"Is it that impressive that Dot and I are going out?"

"Well, no offence man, but the money was on you growing up to be a Captain Dreadnaught impersonator, if you know what I mean."

"Wait, are you insulting me, or Captain Dreadnaught?"

"… I think both," Carver said after a moment of contemplation.

Tino peered down at a small wrapped gift perched beside Carver whom was leaning against the ledge they so often leaned against.

"Is that for Moira?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

Carver rolled his eyes, "No, I want to confess my undying love for you."

"Okay, that probably came out far creepier than you intended," Tino laughed.

"Anyways, yeah. This gift is for Moira on our anniversary."

"That's great man, but wait, didn't you already celebrate your one-year just a few months ago?"

"Yeah, but this is for the one year anniversary of our first big dance together."

"Wow, I'm surprised that you actually remembered that."

"Women love it when you remember things. It contradicts the stereotype."

Tino leaned against the ledge next to Carver, "I'll try to remember that… wait!" he said in slight panic, "Do anniversaries come in weeks as well? Do I need to get Dot something for our two week anniversary?"

"Two weeks- no. Makes you seem obsessive. But you might want to get her something for your one-month. Even if she doesn't ask, it'll be sure to score you lots of points."

"Hmm, a key chain?"

Carver lowered his eyes at him, "I think you can do better than that."

"A diamond ring?"

Carver simply answered by curling his lip to the side and waving his hand in a motion as if to say the word 'lower'.

"A teddy bear?"

Carver raised his eyebrows in an approving manner and snapped his fingers, "There you go."

"What'cha guy's talking about?" Lor asked as she joined the fellowship of ledge leaners.

"Life, love… relationships in general," Carver answered.

"Dude, you guys are making me and Tish look bad," Lor complained as she hoisted herself up on the ledge and reclined on it with her arms tucked behind her head.

"Well, c'mon. You were the first of us to have a major crush," Carver nudged, "Speaking of which, how are things with Thompson, have you asked him out yet?"

"Are you kidding me, it only took me so long to stop going 'flibble-gibble-boo-boo' in front of him. I'm too nervous to ask him out."

"Yeah," Carver fixed his collar, "It just seems that in the relationships department, the guys' got you beat."

"Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command," quoted Tish as she walked over to complete the group.

"Um, what does that mean?" Tino asked.

"It's from 'Said' by Alan Watts. It seems to fit you guys and your ever competitive nature towards everything."

"Oh yeah, well try this one on for size," Tino cleared his throat…"But love cannot see and lovers are blinded  
The petty follies those themselves have condemned;  
For if they could, a Cupid would blush  
To see thee transformed into a man"

Tish covered her ears, wincing, "So my punishment for that remark is to bare witness to you butchering the lines of my favourite playwright?"

"I dunno, it sounded right to me," Carver shrugged. Tish fixed him with a grim expression.

"Sorry," Tino sighed. "It made sense when it was still in my head."

"Tino, the next time you try to quote The Bard, promise you'll use a book. Or better yet, don't," Tish shook her head, "Honestly, if I was Mrs. Ingrid, I'd give you an F."

"Oh, what does it matter?" Lor gestured with a wave of her arm, "English teachers are all stiffs anyways."

"Whoa, careful there Lor," Carver warned, "Tish here might be an English Teacher someday."

Tish rolled her eyes, "Right, like I'd waste my talent on anything other than the theatre. So, what else is new? Besides your blossoming love lives, I mean."

"We were just waiting for you so we can get some pizza. And now we're off like a herd of wild snails." Lor informed as he hoisted herself off the ledge.

Carver turned and grabbed the parcel, "I'll meet you guys there. I've got to catch up with Moira before her swim meet."

"Okay," Tish said, "Than we'll just-"

"Actually," Tino interrupted, "Dot said that she wanted to meet me in the Snack Shack for something. So I'm just gonna wait for her here. I wonder what she wants."

"Maybe she's mad at you because you forgot your two week anniversary," Carver laughed.

Tino turned to look at him with a panicked look, "You really think so? Geez, I've got to get her something!"

Carver sighed and patted his irrational friend on the shoulder, "Dude, I'm only joking," he then turned to address the girls, "Go, have fun. We'll catch up with you at the Pizza Place after our collective wooing."

"Alright," Tish agreed, "C'mon Lor, we should grab ourselves a pizza before Carver shows up to engorge himself."

Lor laughed, "Okay, we'll see you guys later." And with that three of the four friends parted off leaving Tino behind to await Dot at the designated spot. He quietly went inside the shelter of the Snack Shack to sit there and wait for his mistress like an obedient little pup.

He waited 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, constantly checking his watch. Not daring to entertain the thought that she wouldn't show up, he began to keep his mind busy with thoughts of what he would order. Should he get relish with his chilli-cheese fries? Would Dot want him to share them with her? Does she like relish?

A full 20 minutes later, Dot made her way into the shelter, "Hi Tino," She greeted him in her bubbly manner.

Tino waved affectionately at his girl and motioned her to sit down beside him, "So what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked as he boldly put his arm around her, "I know, it's about the upcoming Spring Dance, isn't it? Of course it is. Don't worry, Carver's going to help me pick out the right outfit to go with your dress."" he added with a smile.

"Well," Dot slyly moved herself out of the embrace, "It sort of is about the Spring Dance but… it's not about us."

Tino absently twisted his napkin, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. His voice increased in pitch, "I'm sorry, I don't understand. What? Is the Spring Dance cancelled or something?"

"No, the dance isn't cancelled," Dot sighed, "Look, I'm just gonna come right out and say it… Laird asked me to go with him."

"He did, did he?" Tino felt that this was a good opportunity to be chivalrous, "What? Do you want me to beat him up for you? Cuze I'll go and… get Lor to knock some sense into him… y-yeah. I'd easily do it myself but I think that the humiliation of getting beat up by a girl will add nicely to his crushing defeat. Not saying that girls are weak or anything just that-"

"I said yes." She confessed at a loss of patience.

Tino was caught off guard, he stumbled on his words and it took him a while to regain his verbal footing, "You said WHAT!"

"He asked me out and I said yes." She repeated only more bluntly this time.

"W-W-… well you could have said something else to him. Like "I'm taken", "I already have a boyfriend", "Go jump off a cliff'."

"C'mon, Tino. He's the captain of the boy's basketball team. And he's soooo manly," she cooed in a dreamy voice as she glanced off into nothingness.

Tino shot her a hate filled glare, "Um, hi. What about me?"

"Oh, yeah," she snapped out of her trance, "Sorry Tino, but we're through. No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings? I'm beginning to wonder if you actually have any feelings! I mean, this is some kind of a joke, right? What about us? Don't you feel anything for me?"

"Actually, it was mostly out of pity," Dot said disinterestedly.

"Say what?"

"Oops, did I say that out loud?" She caught herself, "well, it's true actually. What can I say? I was doing you a favour."

"But... I thought you liked me," Tino exhaled, letting out a breath he didn't notice he'd been holding. "When we started going out, Tish told me how you used to have this huge crush on me back in seventh grade.

"Well, yeah, I did," Dot said flippantly. "That was just, y'know, a long time ago. Those kinds of things don't last forever. I mean, what were you expecting from us? Going out with you was nice, but that's all it was Tino. Nice. Sorry for dumping you, but you know how it is. Ciao!"

And with that she lifted herself out of the chair and walked out of Tino's sight. Being left behind, Tino sat there in total shock at how his whole life had completely been tossed around within the last few minutes. He had given everything to her and she threw him away. She didn't even give him a chance. He quickly darted his eyes around the shelter- no one was in there with him. "I'm… not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry," he repeated under his breath. Finally resolving that his eyes couldn't follow those orders, he bolted from the table and ran as fast as he could down the boardwalk to the sanctity of his home.

"Man, I'm starving!" Carver proclaimed as he sat himself down at the table and helped himself to two slices of the girl's pizza, folding them over each other like some kind of big pizza sandwich.

Tish gave him a slightly annoyed looked, "We're fine, and how are you?"

Carver stopped himself before stuffing his face, "Huh? Oh, sorry. Hello ladies, and how are you this fine evening?" he gave a slight bow then resumed with the face stuffing.

Lor gave a little chuckle, "Now if only we could get all boys to treat us like royalty."

"An admirable cause, Lor," Tish smiled, "But maybe we should start with baby steps. Like getting them to show up at agreed upon locations on time."

"What? We didn't agree exactly when we'd meet here, just that we'd meet here," Carver defended, "I know that I took longer than I had planned, but I figured that you'd have Tino here to keep you company."

"Well, guess again, Tino hasn't shown up here yet either," Tish informed.

"He hasn't? Huh, that's weird cuze I just passed by the Snack Shack on my way here and there was no one there."

"Maybe he and Dot went somewhere else to, you know, be _alone_," Lor grinned.

"Ah, it seems like I'm starting to rub off on the little guy," Carver said with so much pride.

"I don't know, Carver," Tish objected with a voice of concern, "Something just doesn't feel right."

"I know what you're thinking. You're afraid that with Dot around, Tino won't have any time to hang out with us," Carver deduced.

"Maybe," Tish said, unsure of herself.

"I know, you're jealous," Lor spoke up.

Tish blushed, "Me, jealous? But I-I don't… I-"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Carver interrupted, "I mean, I've got Moira, Tino's got Dot, even Lor's got Thompson- sort of, maybe, kind of… eventually," He caught Lor giving him an icy glare, "Anyways, you're the only one without a significant other. And with the Spring Dance coming up you must be feeling left out."

Tish settled down and cracked a slight smile, "Hey, its no big deal. I don't really like dances anyway. Too crowded, and I always get self-conscious."

After they finished off the pizza, Lor stood up and contributed her cash towards the meal, "So what do you guys want to do now? I don't know about you but I've waited around for Romeo long enough."

"I would say Funville for a round of pool," Carver suggested, "But we need all four to play in teams."

"I could play against both of you at once, maybe then you'd have a chance of winning," Lor laughed.

"No… it just wouldn't be a Friday without Tino. Maybe we should swing by his place, see if he's there." Carver said.

"Are you sure we won't walk in on him and Dot smooching?" Lor asked with a grin.

Carver let out a big laugh, "I don't think so, but even if we did, a little humiliation will be good for him."

"Hey, I'm all for humiliation," Lor added, "Okay, let's go."

Over at the Dickson residence, a car pulled up in the driveway. Dixon came out of the driver's side then went around to help his wife out of the passenger's side. "Honey, it's alright. I'm not crippled, I can carry myself," she said as she hoisted her 6-month pregnant self out of the car.

"Alright, alright. But can I at least see the ultrasound pictures again?"

Emese held the envelope playfully away from her husband; "You've looked at them long enough. I had to pry them out of your hands to get you to drive us home. What? Do you think that you could see it when the doctor couldn't?"

"You're only saying that because you're hoping for a girl," Dixon accused.

"It doesn't matter to me what gender the baby is, just as long as it has ten fingers, ten toes, and comes out perfectly healthy," she then gave Dixon a coy grin, "Besides, I already picked out the name Megan."

The conversation continued into the kitchen, "How's this, show me the pictures and if I can prove that it's a boy, I get to choose the name." Dixon bargained.

"You're not going to name it Dixon Junior are you?"

"Um… not anymore," Dixon grinned.

Emese rolled her eyes and tossed the envelope to her husband, "Knock yourself out," She then turned to be greeted by her rather distressed stepdaughter, "Oh, hi dear. How was your swim meet?"

"Emese, Dad… I think there's something wrong with Tino," Moira said at great concern.

Dixon came to his daughter's side, "What's wrong?"

"I- I don't know. I came home from swimming and he had locked himself in his room. I tried to talk to him but he just told me to go away… I think he's really upset about something."

"I'll go talk to him," was Emese's conditioned response as she turned to head up the stairs.

Dixon looked on in concern then patted Moira on the shoulder, "C'mon, I'm sure it's nothing. Hey, that's a nice necklace. Is it new?"

Emese tried to open Tino's door but it was locked like Moira said. Which is enough for concern, as her son never felt that he needed to lock his bedroom door. She tapped on the door and followed up with a "Honey, are you alright?"

The question was soon met with a dry and tired groan. "Tino," she continued, "could you open the door please?"

"…No," came that same dry voice.

Emese sighed, "Come on, Sweetie. Is there something that you would like to talk about?"

"I don't want to talk to anyone!" Tino's voice snapped, almost in a sob.

Emese shook her head "Teenagers," she muttered under her breath, "Tino, this isn't going to go away just by cutting yourself out from the rest of the world."

"Sure I can! I'm never coming out! I'll just live in here for the rest of my life and no one will bother me ever again!"

His mother huffed as once again she managed to piece together her son's personal life from the least amount of input, "Okay, look. I can understand that you're upset that you and Dot broke up. But in all fairness, first relationships are never the ones. It's called trial and error, Tino. And it's all part of life. Believe me; it's never perfect the first time."

Emese stopped to listen for a response. It took a while but eventually Tino muttered something. She asked for him to repeat that and he yelled, "Get out of my head!"

Emese had to use her authoritative tone, which she so rarely had to use with her boy, "Tino, I'm not leaving meals outside your door. If you want to eat or use the bathroom, you're just going to have to deal with life on its own terms." She gave a hiss of frustration, which was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, "Great, company," she said sarcastically as she walked downstairs.

"Hey, Tino's Mom," Lor greeted her as she entered the front hall but then took one look at the pregnant woman's flustered expression, "Is Tino… um… are- are you okay?"

"I'm fine… I'm fine, Lor. Thank you for asking," Emese had to calm herself from the drama with her son doubled with the mood swings akin to her current condition.

"Perhaps we've come at a bad time," Tish assumed, motioning slightly back towards the front door.

"No, no, no!" Emese waved her arms, pleading them not to go, "I could actually use your help on this."

"Wait, you need our help?" Lor asked, "Aren't you supposed to be like, all knowing or something?"

"Yeah, I know. I might have to bribe you all with my cooking to never mention this," Emese said jokingly.

"I think you mean blackmail," Lor snickered under her breath.

Emese only responded to that comment with a quick look before she carried on, "Anyway, it's Tino. Long story short: Dot broke up with him and now he doesn't want to talk to me and he refuses to come out of his room."

"Wait a minute, back up," Carver interrupted, "Dot and T split up? Man, I thought he would at least last a little longer than that."

Tish have him an unfriendly punch in the arm, "We'll see if we can talk to him Mrs. Dickson. I think he may be more comfortable talking about these kinds of things with his friends than with his parents."

"Oh, no. I completely understand. I was young once too," She then motioned them up the stairs, "Go, make with the mending. If nothing else, see if you can get him out of his room."

The three teenagers found themselves in front of their distraught friend's door. "Well, should we knock or something?" Carver asked.

"Wait," Tish said, "We should think about how we're going to approach this first. Tino is very psychologically and emotionally frail right now. A bad choice of words could-"

"Hey, Tino! Forget about that little tramp, get your whiny little heart-broken butt out here, and come play some pool with us!" Lor barked as she rapped loudly on the door.

"Or a more blunt approach could also work," Tish moaned as she brought the tips of her fingers up to her forehead.

To all of their surprise, Tino actually came up and opened the door a crack, "What do you want guys? Look, I'm sorry that I didn't meet up with you for pizza but if it's all the same to you, why don't you just go and play pool without me."

"Yeah, but we agreed that we couldn't play in teams without all four of us there," Lor casually explained, which resulted in both Tish and Carver elbowing her in the arms.

"I think what Lor was trying to say is that the weekend just wouldn't be the same without you," Tish said sympathetically.

"I just don't think I'm in much of a Funville mood right now." Tino sighed.

"Why?" Lor asked with a confused expression.

"Umm, because it's fun! You know, and me with the whole 'dumped and depressed' thing going on?"

"Aw c'mon, T. Don't be like that. You know that if you don't come out with us, you're only going to work yourself up into a frenzy of loathing and self-doubt."

Tish blinked twice, momentarily turning her attention away from Tino to Carver. "Do you even know what that means?"

"Not really." Carver shrugged. "I just heard it on that Dr. Quill show my mom is always watching." Tish nodded once in assent, mopping her brow and satisfied that the universe as she knew it wasn't coming to an end. "Anyway," Carver continued, "you've got to come with us T. Come on, Lor will even buy your Chug-A-Freezes."

"I will?" Lor's eyes went wide.

"Yeah. It's happy hour down there until six. Buy three, get one free."

"I'm sorry, guys." Tino sighed. "I just don't know if I can do it in wake of this tragedy."

"You can play pool." Lor insisted.

"No, I mean be happy for an entire hour."

Carver shook his head, "Look, man. Are we going to have to drag you out of your room kicking and screaming?"

"No… you're just going to have to leave me be for now to drown myself in my tears."

Lor grinned, "Oh, c'mon. You're such a drama que-" she didn't get to finish was Tino abruptly shut and locked the door. She took a deep breath and turn to her two friends at her sides, "Okay, that didn't work."

"Gee, you think so?" Tish asked with disdain.

Carver let out a big sigh, "C'mon, guys. Maybe we can catch a matinee or something." And with that he turned to head down the stairs to which Lor hesitated then followed.

Tish looked at them walk down the stairs, looked back at the door, then returned her gaze to her departing friends, "Are you just going to give up on him?" She asked from the top of the stairs.

Carver stopped half way and looked back at her, "You heard him, Tish. He doesn't want to be bothered. He just needs some space. I'm sure he'll get over it."

"Since when has Tino ever gotten over anything without our help?"

"Actually, she does have a point," Lor said to Carver.

Carver sighed, "Look, I want to help him as much as the rest of you. But there are some things only time can heal. We'll come by and check on him tomorrow. I'm sure by then he'll be more consolable."

They continued their trek down the stairs and when they reached the bottom, Lor looked back up at Tish whom was still standing at the top, "Are you coming?"

Tish took a moment to contemplate, looking once more between the door and her friends, "Actually… just go on without me. I'll see you later."

"Are you gonna try talking to him again?" Carver asked, "Do you want us for backup?"

"Yeah, I am… but don't worry. I want to try talking to him on my own. I don't know why, but I think I could achieve a more subtle approach."

"Well, whatever floats your boat. Just don't try to do the impossible," Carver said, "I guess we'll see ya."

Tish nodded and walked back towards Tino's door, "Tino?" she said softly with a light knock on the door.

"What do you want, Tish?" Tino groaned from inside, "Come to mock me some more?"

"No," She said in as nurturing a voice as she could, "I just want to talk."

"Fine," Tino replied, "We're talking."

"Let me in, Tino. I'm alone, I promise."

"I want to be alone right now Tish. Don't you know what I'm going through?" He scoffed, "Of course not. I forgot."

Tish ignored the low blow he had just inflicted, choosing to be a friend instead of rising to the bait, "Fine then. But your mother can hear everything I say out here," Tish thumped her foot for emphasis, "And I'll be sure to talk extra loud!" She raised her voice.

"Just go away!" Tino yelled back at her.

"I'm not leaving you," Tish insisted, "Not like this." A long silence passed. One minute, two, three. After what seemed like an eternity, Tish finally spoke again, softly this time. "Tino?"

"If I let you in, will you promise not to tell the others?"

"I promise," Tish agreed. She stood in anticipation, and a minute later, she heard the sound of a lock releasing. When Tino failed to appear, she hesitantly turned the doorknob herself. The door opened slightly. Taking a deep breath, Tish let herself into Tino's room. She saw her friend sitting on the end of his bed by the window, looking out at the setting sun. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell that he was a wreck. "Tino?" She asked.

"Close the door and lock it," Was the only thing he said. Tish reluctantly did as he asked.

"Can we talk?" Tish asked.

"About what?"

"About anything." Tish offered. "Foreign policy, the weather, our math exam. We can even talk about Captain Dreadnought if you like." Tish winced, hoping he would choose any subject but that.

Tino let the silence drift for a bit before he answered, "You don't _really_ want to talk about Captain Dreadnought," He said without straying his gaze from the window.

"Okay, you got me there," She nervously flapped her arms at her sides, "but you can talk about whatever you want and I'll gladly listen," she offered.

"And if I don't want to talk?"

She walked up and rested her crossed arms and chin on the edge of the elevated part of the floor which held his bed, framing her face with the railing.

"Then I'll just sit here and keep you company," She said while wearing a warm smile.

She felt that there was something strange about the way Tino was at that moment, like a delicate flower that had just endured a storm and sat wilted on the windowsill.

She sat there, admiring his beautifully frail nature until he spoke up, "Do you know what I hate?" He asked through a crack in his voice.

"What?" Tish asked in a startle.

"When people give me something… or let me be something, only because they pity me. When they feel that I'm too pathetic to gain something under my own ability so they just hand it to me, thinking that they're doing me a favour… I've never realized it before, but I hate that word."

…Pity?" Tish asked after a moment.

Tino slouched in his position and sighed, "Can I ask you something, Tish? And I want you to be brutally honest."

"Um… okay."

"Am I pathetic?"

"Pathetic! What? No! Of course not!"

Tino scoffed at the predictable response, "Of course you would say that. I could ask my mother the same question and get the same knee-jerk answer."

"No, it's because we both love you," She then caught herself, "A- as a friend." She was slightly relieved that Tino didn't press her slip of the tongue.

"Ok, fine, so you and the guys love me as a friend. But how am I ever supposed to find someone to love me as more?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Tino," Tish consoled him. "Do you really think that love is easy for anyone? I haven't even had my own experience with it yet, and already I know it can be just as harsh as it is intoxicating." She nodded. "You are not pathetic, Tino. You're just you. Everyone is different. There are plenty of girls your age who are just as shy as you are about these things."

"Ha! Name one!" Tino challenged her.

Tish fidgeted for a second, clearly having been put on the spot. "Me." She spoke just as Tino opened his mouth to prove his point.

"You!" Tino's eyes went wide. "That's impossible! You've been exposed to love all your life! You're always reading Shakespeare, and those Victorian romance novels, and, and… STUFF! How can you be shy?"

"Love isn't like math, Tino. Just because you read about it, doesn't mean you know it. I haven't been in love yet. But I do know that when that time comes, I want it to be with someone who likes me, who loves me, for who I am. Tino, if Dot couldn't really love you for who you are, then she never really loved you at all. And if that's the case, then she wasn't worth loving, Tino. You haven't lost a girlfriend. You've gained your freedom. You have nothing to be sad about."

She heard a whimper then looked right at him to see tears starting to form in his eyes. "Oh man," He groaned as he frantically tried to wipe them away with his sleeve and hide his face from her.

Tish's heart skipped a beat, "Oh my, I- I'm sorry Tino. Was it something I said?"

"No, no. I- it's just that… I don't know what came over me," He took a few deep breaths to try and compose himself, "Up until now I never knew just how much you understand me."

"Of course I understand you, Tino," Tish said as she walked around the railing and sat down on the bed next to him, rubbing his shoulder as he desperately tried to wipe the last few tears away, "We've been friends since the first grade."

Tino took an exalted breath as this intelligent and delicate girl whom up until this moment was simply another buddy, was comforting him in such a warm and inviting way that his turmoil seemed to raise from his shoulders.

"Tish… I'm feeling confused."

"About what?" She asked in a soft voice.

"You've… never acted like this towards me before."

"Wha- H- how do you mean?" she stuttered as blush came to her cheeks and she released her hand from Tino's shoulder to fidget in her lap.

"I don't know... like… more than a friend… maybe… I don't know. I never felt this way, even around Dot, so I don't know what to make of it."

"I'm not doing anything, Tino." Tish stared straight ahead, trying not to present her reddening face. "This is just… what I always do. When I can see that you're in trouble, it upsets me. Especially when I know that I can do something about it."

"But why do you always push yourself?" Tino asked. "Carver and Lor didn't come back."

"Carver and Lor weren't the ones you needed to talk to in the first place." Tish sighed. "They're not, well, you know, Lor can't even get up the guts to talk to Thompson. And Carver-"

"Carver's hopeless." Tino smiled ever so slightly, which Tish took as a good sign. She giggled at his comment, a sound that Tino found very pleasing to his ears.

"Sorry if I weirded you out, Tish."

Tish shook her head slightly. "You didn't."

"Can you stay for awhile?" Tino asked hesitantly.

"I don't have anywhere else to be." Tish smiled at him. Neither of them knew what else to say, so they chose not to speak, watching the sun slowly sinking behind the surrounding mountains, the light beginning to fade. Several minutes passed before Tish broke the silence. "Did you really mean that?"

"Mean what?" Tino asked.

"Do you think that we're. . .more than friends!"

"Hey, I was just carried away back there, Tish. I didn't mean to upset you. We've been friends forever. I don't. . . . . .are we?" Tino interrupted his own train of thought.

"I don't know." Tish felt very unsure, but she forced herself to be brave. She couldn't leave it up to Tino to make the first move in something like this. Delicately, yet purposefully, Tish shifted her position on the bed, moving a little closer to Tino, which gave her an excuse to shift her weight. She planted her right hand back on the bed, purposefully positioning it so that she was almost imperceptibly touching Tino's hand.

Tino gulped audibly, suddenly feeling very nervous. He hoped that his hands weren't becoming clammy as he reached out to take Tish's hand in his own, feeling it for what felt like the first time. It was smaller than his own, but the features were pronounced. Her fingers were slender and delicate, her skin soft and warm, even her nails were smooth and crested evenly. No doubt about it. She was a girl. "Is this okay?" Tino asked as he held her hand, not wanting to let go but realizing he might be pushing for something Tish didn't want.

"It's okay," She whispered back at him, blushing profusely. She had never known anyone who had wanted to hold her hand before, not romantically.

Tish leaned in, abandoning all pretences. She embraced him with tears in her eyes, wrapping her arms around him, holding him for the last time as a friend and the first time as something more. "I'm sorry," Tish wept, a kind of sorrow overtaking her, though she knew not why.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about." Tino tried to dry her eyes. "I know you care about me."

"I've always cared about you, Tino."

"I know."

"I just don't want to see you sad anymore. Not when I know I can make you happy."

"You do make me happy." Tino smiled at her. "See?"

Tish gave an adorable giggle as she loosened the embrace to rest her head on his shoulder, "Does this feel weird for you?" she couldn't help asking.

"A little bit… but in a much bigger way, it just feels right."

Tish cooed at the compliment, "So what does this make us?"

"I don't know… I won't say that it's too early to tell. But I think that we'll be safe if we just stay like this for the moment; don't try to label it, just let it be what it is."

He smiled at her and she smiled back. She was no longer afraid to show her blushing face nor was he ashamed by his tear-stained eyes. After a moment of watching the sunset, Tish boldly asked, "So… do you have any plans for the Spring Dance?"

Author's Notes:  
Finally, I managed to get another chapter up. I'm not going to apologize for the delay because I seem to be apologizing for that for the last few chapters. Let's just say that I have more hours at work now and I can't sit down and write every night anymore. At least I treated you with a really long chapter this time. I do have a lot to say about this chapter. Firstly is that if you look way back at chapter 6- flashback 2, you'll find a quick reference to Dot and Tino's brief relationship. At the time I wondered if anyone would ask about that tip of the hat, but no one seemed to notice. I enjoyed writing this chapter because it was nice to work with the characters back when they were still young and dumb, drawing closer to the flow of the show then the rest of the story save for chapter 1. And I liked the ideal of Tino's mother being pregnant with a second child. I always figured that even though they already have Tino and Moira, Emese would want to raise a girl while Dixon would hope for a boy. Looks like Dixon got his wish (). You know, the more I read this, the more it feels like the first chapter of another story akin to that of Awakening. That being said, Malachite himself expressed much joy from working with the characters when they were young again. I pretty much set up the last scene so that he could relive the first chapter of Awakening in a way. I can only hope that I've cleared up exactly why Tino felt that his experience with Lor was just like his time with Dot. In both cases, an act that should have been out of affection was given to him out of pity, and he hates that. Anyways, I'm really hoping to get a big response to this chapter seeing as it is bigger than the usual ones. Until next time, Later Days.


	15. A Little Thing Called Guilt

Time Capsule

Chapter 15: A Little Thing Called Guilt

She drew her bleach blonde hair back out of her face as the incredibly inviting warmth of the shower freed her of the collective soap and shampoo. When she was satisfied with her cleanliness, she reached over and turned the faucet with an audible 'squeak', allowing the showerhead to trickle to a stop.

Stepping out of the shower, she wiped a clear window of vision in the fogged up mirror and proceeded with her morning routine. When she had finished with whatever she felt made her look her best for the day, she wrapped herself up in her bathrobe (which she stole from a hotel during her travels) and opened the bathroom door, allowing the cooler air from the rest of the apartment to rush in and mingle with the warmer climate she was leaving behind.

"Hey, Tino, I…" She looked around to find that there was no one to speak to, "Huh, I guess he couldn't wait up," she shrugged as she casually examined all that lay on the table. "Well at the very least he could have finished this nice breakfast I made for him."

Barely fazed by his apparent neglect, she easily scooped up the plate and gnawed on a piece of bacon that was still warm. That was when she noticed it- a simple old postcard that sat innocently on the table. She felt an eerie amount of familiarity with it. Upon picking it up, she quickly realized how old it must have been from the feel of it. "Italy?" she asked herself as she flipped it over to read the other side.

_Hey Tino! I'm in Italy now. I still don't understand what's so great about a tower with crappy foundation. But the food here is the best. It looks like this will be the end of my European adventure as the next flight I hop on will be back to the good old U.S. of A. I can't believe how long I've been away. I'm so looking forward to being back in my homeland. Well, see ya._

She sat down and stared at the postcard as if held a solid grip on her vision, "No, Tino," She spoke out loud, "Why did you have to do this? Why are you making me feel guilty? It was just for fun… It wasn't supposed to get serious… it wasn't."

Across town, a rather shameful Tino creaked open his front door and poked his head in to take a quick survey of the immediate surroundings. Finding that a certain maternal figure was not in sight, he stealthily entered the house, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible. He then tiptoed in, seemingly to the tune of Pocatello violin strings (for those of you who watch too many cartoons). He had thought that he could easily make it through without confrontation when he rounded a corner and ran into the very, all-knowing, person he was trying to avoid.

"You didn't come home last night," She scolded without a hint of surprise at her son's sudden appearance.

"What? Yeah, sorry… I did call but it got really late so I just slept with Lor, I mean, on Lor, I mean, slept **AT** Lor's place, **ON** her couch… I've got to go, bye!"

"But I just want to say that-"

"Sorry, mom. Can't talk now. Gonna meet the guys in a few minutes and I just came home to get changed," he said before slipping by his mother and scampering upstairs to avoid what would surely have been the most awkward conversation of his life.

Tino swung his door open, rushed inside and slammed it shut behind him. "Okay, that was as smooth as sandpaper," he criticized himself as he leaned against the door. He really had no idea why he was overreacting like this… Duh, he's Tino. It's in his nature to overreact. "This is worse than that time when I was 13 and I walked in on Tish changing… But why is it worse? Any guy in the world would be thrilled to get laid by a woman like Lor. So why does it still feel wrong?"

He knew that he liked women; in fact, he craved them more since he now understood what all the excitement was about. "Why do I feel so guilty about this?" he asked himself, "It wasn't like I was cheating on Tish or anything. After all, we haven't been a couple for six years. And Tish was the one who put the final nail in the coffin the other night. So what's the problem?"

It was no good; Tino couldn't shake this feeling of guilt and confusion. "Man, I really need some help with this," he concluded as he went to grab some fresh clothes from his suitcase, "I'll go see Carver." It seemed like a sound choice. He would certainly be more comfortable talking about this sort of thing with his buddy than with his mother or even his stepfather.

He slipped into a fresh outfit and creeped out the bedroom door, there was no sign of a certain maternal figure so he proceeded. As he came into the kitchen, he met Dixon whom had just poured himself a cup of coffee and was flipping open the morning paper. "Hey Champ, Dixon greeted, "Heading off again so soon?"

"Huh? Yeah, just going to go hang with Carver. I'll try to be back around dinner time."

"Okay, have fun… oh, wait, there was something that you're mother wanted me to ask you…" Dixon pondered for a second to recall the message, all along Tino was cringing at the inevitable question, "Oh yeah, she wanted me to ask you to put your dirty clothes in the hamper so she can wash them later."

"What? That's it? I mean, yeah, I did," Tino answered as he relaxed his shoulders before heading for the front door, "See ya."

"See ya," Dixon repeated, and just as Tino was about to disappear he added on, "Oh, she also wants to know if you used protection."

The question caused Tino to accidentally stub his toe in the doorframe. After briefly limping the pain away, he looked at Dixon with a complete lack of anything cohesive to say. All that ran through his mind was something along the lines of "Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!"

Dixon looked back at his stunned stepson for a few beats, "Shall I just tell her yes?"

Tino took a moment to put his mind back in the driver's seat, "She… um… was on the pill," he sheepishly explained.

Dixon's eyes bolted at this confession, which soon lowered into a disappointed shake of the head. "Tino, I thought I taught you better than that. The pill will only take care of one of your problems. What about all the-"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Tino interrupted, his face coming to full blush, "I didn't think ahead. But honestly, I didn't exactly plan on this happening! It just sort of happened all the sudden! That and I think that the condom in my wallet is way past its expiration date."

Dixon gave an amused sigh at Tino's ramblings, "All right, but be prepared next time. Or if you're not, than you'll just have to kill the mood to run out and get one. You're a bright kid Tino, I'd hate to see it all go up in flames for one night of passion."

"Okay, and… thanks Dixon, for being so understanding."

"Hey, I was young once too. Now you'd better get out of here before you mother shows up and asks you a million motherly questions."

Tino nodded and stepped out the door, closing it behind him. In a moment the woman of the house stepped in from around the corner and came to her husband's side, "You were right," she smiled, "he was more comfortable talking about it with you."

"It's a guy thing. That and no man wants to talk about sex with his mother."

"You never told me about your first time," Emese playfully noted as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh… um… that's because it's nothing worth talking about," Dixon suddenly blushed.

"Oh, c'mon. How old were you?"

"I'm not answering that!"

"16? 18?"

Dixon plugged his ears and turned away, "La la la la! I can't hear you!"

"20?" Emese pressed as she chased after him.

"I'm sorry Lor, could you repeat that, I think I heard something completely insane in my ear," Carver spoke into his cell phone while pacing up and down the hotel hallways just outside his room, "You're kidding me, right?…………. No……… Look, I know that it was probably spur of the moment but this is just going to mess everything up…………. No, I'm not trying to control your lives. Listen, I just poured my heart out trying to keep Tish from skipping town last night, if she finds out that-………….. Yes, I know what she said……….. Yes, I know that they're broken up……….. Look, she can't know about this, understand?…………. Yes, this is my concern!…….. Because I want them both to be happy!….. Because I owe them that much……..Lor!…. Now that was just uncalled for…. You were the one who called me!…… hello? HELLO?… Damn!"

"What was all that yelling about?" Tish asked as she came out of the hotel room.

Carver took a second to collect his thoughts as he turned around to greet her "Business call, you know how they are."

"Not really," Tish admitted inattentively, "Well, I suppose that I should go find Tino now."

"Are you nervous?" he asked, hoping to stall her in light of recent developments.

"A little. But a promise is a promise. At the very least, if I find that we can't be like we were before, I owe him a heart-felt apology."

Carver gave a nod of approval, "You're being really mature about this."

"Well, a good night's sleep helps. But mostly, I'm just tired of making an ass out of myself in front of my friends… Okay, wish me luck," and with that she motioned towards the elevator, "If things work out, we should get together this afternoon and try this whole reunion thing over again. Third time's the charm, I guess."

"Um, Tish," Carver called to her before she disappeared into the elevator. She stopped and looked back. At that moment Carver saw an expression on her face that was filled with hope and anticipation, almost naiveté. Carver suddenly found it impossible to break the news to her, "Can I give you a ride?"

"Hmm, no thanks. It's a beautiful day; I think I'll walk. And I'll probably need the extra time to think about what exactly I'm going to say to him," she said as she stepped into the elevator and the door closed behind her.

Carver brought his hand up to his forehead and drew it through this hair to the back of his neck. He raised his cell phone into the air and swung it downwards, pretending to throw it to the ground, "I need a drink."

Several minutes later, Carver made his way down to the hotel bar. "Vodka and orange juice on the rocks, please," he asked the resident barkeeper as he slid into a barstool.

"Geez, buddy, you look grim," the elderly man behind the counter commented as he prepared the drink, "Got trouble with the missus?"

Carver gave an amused huff, "Yeah, that would be the straw to break this camel's back. Let's just say that there is going to be a lot of drama going down between at least two friends and I'm most likely going to be standing right smack-dab in the middle."

"Eh, you'll get though it, just like you always do."

"Like I always do?" Carver repeated as he received his drink, "have we met before or is that just typical bartender talk?"

"Well, I don't know you personally, but for as long as I've been in Bahia Bay, I've seen you and three other kids pal around like nothing else. And no matter how mad you got at each other; no matter how much of a scene you made, you guys were always pals again before the weekend was over."

"I have to admit, you do have a familiar face."

The bartender have a slight laugh, "Do you guys still do that thing where you down the Chug-a-Freezes to see who can stand the biggest brain freeze?"

"Hey, now I recognize you, you're that guy who used to work in the Chug-a-freeze booth at the mall. Heh, looks like we've all moved up in the world."

"Nah, you young kids move up, I just move sideways. At least I'm not wearing that goofy hat anymore."

Carver inattentively glanced over to his side. Looking out towards the hotel lobby, he saw Tino casually walk in and study the hotel map. Apparently in an attempt to find Carver's room. "Well, looks like the fun's just about to get started," he sarcastically remarked before downing most of his drink and leaving a considerable tip. "Hey Tino!" he called to his buddy as he exited the hotel bar.

Tino nodded in his best friend's direction, "Hey Carve. What's up? I was hoping I'd find you here. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"I know, "Carver sighed, "Lor told me."

"Lor told you?" Tino practically choked.

"Unfortunately. Man, Tino, I can't believe you!"

"Hey, you're the one who's always going on about how I should take the plunge and hook up with a girl. So I did! What's the big deal?"

"Look, Tino, it's not that I'm not happy that you've finally got a little experience. It's just… there are how many girls in this town? And it has to be with Lor?"

"You don't understand!" Tino cried out in exasperation. "I think I needed it to be with Lor. I-I trust Lor. I trusted Lor, anyway. But she was no different." Tino screwed his eyes shut, refusing to let his options get the better of him. "She cast me aside just like Dot did. She couldn't wait to get rid of me. She's no better than Dot or Tish."

"Oh, come on, Tino." Carver sighed. "You can't let yourself get hurt so easily. So you've been kicked to the curb three times in your life. Man, I've been in your situation so many times I've lost count!"

"Really?"

"Okay, maybe not this exact situation. I mean, when you decided to take the plunge, you really hit the bottom of the pool."

"Gee, thanks, that makes me feel tons better," Tino glared as he stepped over and plopped himself down on a nearby bench.

Carver took a seat beside him, "Sorry, man. But honestly, do you think that Lor was just out to hurt you?"

"Well… no."

"Did you hope that you two would fall in love? And that it would be just like what you had with Tish?"

"I don't know! I'm just really confused right now!" Tino ran both hands through his hair, "That's why I came here. I was hoping that you, of all people, could help me get through this."

"Do you want to know what I think?" Carver asked as he placed a hand on Tino's shoulder, "I think that Lor really does love you, just not in the way that you were expecting. She cares about you deeply as a friend, but she doesn't want you two to go down a road that will only make you hate each other later. Because you're too different to make it as a couple."

"What makes you so sure that's how she feels?"

"Because man, I know how to read women. And Lor's always there to look out for all of us. She would never treat any of us like garbage. Believe me, I got a phone call from her earlier that tells me that she's feeling just as guilty and confused as you are about this."

"What would you do in a situation like this?"

"Me? Well, for every woman but one I'd just shrug if off and move on. And no matter how many times I told myself I wouldn't, I always came back to that one."

"You're talking about Moira, aren't you?"

"Yep, and I think we all know the one for you."

Tino sighed, "Yeah, the problem is, I might've just messed that up permanently. What's Tish going to say if she ever finds out about this? How can I even look her in the eye after what I've done? I know that we're through, but it still feels like I betrayed her."

"You're serious, right? You still have strong feelings for Tish?" Carve asked, seeing a ray of hope in this situation.

"Well… maybe, just a little bit of… Ah, who am I kidding! I could never get her out of my mind! You're absolutely right, Carver. She is the only one for me… at least in my eyes anyways. But ever since that walk in the park two nights ago, I've been feeling so lost. Our relationship is long gone. She hates me now. And she's gonna hate me even more if she ever finds out about Lor and me."

"In that case, it's probably a good thing that you came to me."

"What? Why?"

"Well, it took a lot of talking, but it turns out that Tish is still nuts over you as well. In fact, I've even convinced her to give you a second chance; and honest to god chance. She left the hotel to look for you not 20 minutes before you strolled in."

"Really?" Tino asked as he stood up with excitement, "She probably went to my house, I'd better go and meet her there so-"

"Whoa there, cowboy, "Carver interrupted as he gripped Tino by the arm and sat him back down, "I said she's willing to give you another chance, but she's still unstable about it. If she finds out about you and Lor doing the horizontal mambo, then it's all over."

"So what should I do?"

"I'd think that it would be obvious. In this case, dishonesty is the best policy."

"So you're saying that I can never let her know."

"I'm saying that you should act like it never happened, especially around Lor. In fact, as far as everyone's concerned, you're still a virgin."

"Hey!" Tino frowned.

"Come on, man. Stick with me here. You want Tish back, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then trust me on this. Things will all work out for the best."

"Alright, but Carver, why are you going though all of this for me and Tish?"

"What can I say? You two were made for each other. It would be a crime to have you two split up forever. That and when you take into account that I owe you like one thousand favours, plus the fact that they do call me the Love Doctor, I couldn't help but stick my nose in it."

"No one calls you that," Tino noted in a deadpan tone.

"Moira does… among other things."

"Why do I have the feeling that I don't want to know about the pet names she calls you," Tino replied making Carver laugh, "So do you really think that things will work out between me and Tish?"

"Not to worry, man. Just follow my lead and everything will be sunshine and lollipops."

"And what about Lor?"

"Don't worry about it. As far as I'm concerned, the less said about the situation, the better."

Several blocks away, at the Rose Street Pub, Lor was exiting the staff room with her jacket on, "Okay, Eddy," She called to her boss, "I'm going on my shift break now, I'll be back at five."

The man called back in confirmation and Lor stepped outside onto the sidewalk. Her mind was weighed down with too much to think about concerning the night before. She padded the pockets of her jacket, trying to find a certain something to take the edge off, "Oh, that's right, I quit smoking," she sighed before peering over to the park across the street, "Fresh air. That's what I need, some fresh air. Or at least enough to get me through the evening shift."

She crossed the street and made her way down the winding path until she came upon a comfortable bench near the fountain for her to plop herself down on and collect her thoughts.

Sadly, Lor didn't get her moment of quiet contemplation, as she peered to her side to see one of the few people that she didn't want to see today walk down the same path she just took. She would have acknowledged Tish with a friendly greeting, but this time she was too vexed with guilt and confusion to voice anything that didn't feel like a knife twisting in her gut.

"Good afternoon, Lor," Tish waved to her as she approached.

"H- Hi, Tish," Lor managed to force out without jumping out of her skin. She couldn't help but feel that she had the truth written all over her face.

"You seem a little despondent," Tish observed as she stepped closer, "Had a rough night?"

"What? NO!" Lor quickly defended.

"Well, alright. I was just on my way back from Tino's house…."

"Oh God, she knows!" Lor screamed inside her mind.

"… But no one was home and the car wasn't in the driveway. I guess they're all out right now." Tish explained, this causing Lor to let out a silent sigh of relief, "So I decided to stop by the pub and pay you a visit. And when I was about a block away, I saw you go into the park. I didn't see you yesterday, what have you been up to?"

Nothing! Nothing at all! Not a thing! Uh, you know, work and all that boring stuff, that's all."

"Hmm, okay. But have you seen Tino around lately? How's he been?"

"What? Why would I have seen Tino? It's not like we know each other that well or anything," Lor stammered.

"What are you talking about?" Tish cocked an eyebrow, "Haven't we all been close friends since the first grade."

"Oh yeah, that's us! Tino and me! We're totally friends because what else would we be! But I haven't seen Tino because, um, because we haven't been doing anything together! Yeah, that's what I meant!"

"Okay…" Tish hesitated, convinced that Lor had been sampling the merchandise in her workplace," Are you okay?"

"Who me?" Lor asked, darting her eyes to the side, "I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be fine! It's not like there's anything going on. Nothing at all! Um, why were you looking for Tino again? Not that I have some kind of problem with that, heh heh," Lor continued to shift her gaze as though she were being watched.

"There's something I need to tell him. I've done a lot of thinking over the past two nights and I've come to the conclusion that I've been a complete bitch. I want to apologize to Tino because… he was right. There is something between us, there always has been. I've just been too afraid to admit it to myself."

"Oh man," Lor groaned under her breath, feeling the back of her neck grow warm.

"I guess maybe I've realized that I've always been in love with Tino; even when I didn't want to be. But you can't help who you have feelings for. And I'm through running away from my feelings because I'm too proud to admit when I made a mistake. I let a stupid argument come between us years ago and stopped seeing the big picture. And I've been alone ever since. Worse, I've left Tino alone. Just knowing that he's still cared for me after I left him… I feel guilty. To know he's been waiting for me, that he's never even had a girlfriend. How could I have let us do this to each other?"

"Um… I- I don't know," Lor responded to the rhetorical question.

"You know, I have to admit that I still haven't thought about what I'm going to say to him. I mean, how do I make up for all those years of neglect?"

"I don't know, chocolate, flowers maybe."

"Aw, c'mon. That stuff doesn't work on guys," Tish laughed, "We all know that men only have one thing on their minds… That's it!"

"What's it?" Lor asked in a startle.

"You know what I mean," Tish smiled as she leaned in so that passers by couldn't hear her, "First I'll tell him how I feel, than I'll show him how I feel," she finished her little plan with a blush of the cheeks.

"Are- are- are you sure that's a good idea?" Lor stuttered, feeling her stomach begin to twist.

"Well, this may come as a bit of a shock, but we never did it when we were a couple," Tish confessed with something of an embarrassed grin, "And as far as Carver tells me, Tino never did hook up with anyone else, so unless he paid some whore somewhere along the line, I should be his first."

"Hey, who are you calling a whore!" Lor's eyes went wide and she clapped both hands over her mouth, praying that she didn't just say what she thought she said.

"I beg your pardon?" Tish was taken aback at Lor's outburst, clearly confused. "I wasn't calling you a whore, what I meant was that-" Everything in Tish's world seemed to shatter into oblivion as her brain reprocessed the conversation and came to understand Lor's offence. "No," Tish shook her head back and forth rapidly, dropping her purse beside her, "Oh no no no!"

"Tish…"

"You... Carver said that he left Tino with you last night! I... I never thought that you of all people could do that! It didn't even cross my mind!"

"Wait Tish! It wasn't Tino's fault!"

"No! I don't believe you! I don't!"

"Tish, it isn't like that! You know that Tino and I would never do anything to hurt you. It was just-"

"NO! Shut up, just shut up!" Tish broke into a mixture of screams and tears. There were entirely too many emotions for her to cope with.

"I'm sorry!" Lor pleaded. "I was only trying to help!"

"By screwing the only man I've ever loved!" Tish screeched. "Don't do me any more of your goddamn favours!"

"For God's sake, Tish. The whole time, he was worried about you!" If Lor's words were supposed to be any comfort, they served only to drive Tish into further spasms of despair. Lor had never seen anything like the girl's reaction in her life. There were not words to describe the amalgam of grief and anger and horror and rage and fear that were convulsing through her form at a breakneck pace. Lor wasn't certain if Tish was crying or screaming or choking or all of the above.

"He was worried about me! Apparently not so worried that he couldn't take the time out to enjoy everything you have to offer!"

Well at least it's more than you could ever offer him! All those years and you never let the boy have any fun. And now you think it's some noble deed to let him into your panties hoping that he'll forgive you?"

"First of all, there were complications Tino and I weren't willing to go through. For God's sake Lor, we were just children back then! And secondly, no, I don't think that 'letting him into my panties' will cause him to forgive me, but thank you for insinuating how easy it is. I wanted Tino to understand how much I really do love him. I wanted to give him something that no one else had. Thanks a lot, Lor. Now at best all I'll ever amount to is a notch on my true love's bedpost."

"Oh get off your high horse and welcome to the 21st century Tish. People have sex! People have sex when they're teenagers, when they're not married, and God forbid- when they're not in love. It's just the way the world works!"

"Then why did you do it? To spite me?"

"Because you hurt him! You took the poor boy's heart and shattered it into a million pieces. And all I did was come along and help him through it!"

"Yes Lor, it's all about sex with you!"

"You left out the booze and the rock and roll, Tish. We both know that's all you think of me anyway."

"At least now I do! Ever since high school, it's been one bad decision after another for you! Always doing whatever you wanted, never thinking about the consequences or how other people feel! I just can't stand it anymore, Lor! Maybe that was good enough for you when your screw-ups only hurt yourself, but now you have to ruin my life too? When does it ever end for you?"

"Oh, believe me, girl. It wasn't a screw up," Lor sneered, "I knew exactly what I was doing when I took Tino around the world last night. Face it Tish, you only want him now because you can't have him!"

"No," Tish said simply, bringing herself to her full height. She still had a few inches over the blonde girl, but unlike Lor, Tish was also more delicate, "This is going to end, now. Ever since we were kids, I've always had to sacrifice everything for you. Always having to come down to your level. Always having to pay for your food. To listen to you babble nonsense. Watching you ignore every piece of good advice I've ever given you. And now, you think you can deprive me of Tino too? I'm drawing the line here, Lor. This far, no further! If you think I'm just going to sit back and watch you take away the only thing I have left, you're in for quite a rude awakening. I will never give up Tino. Not to you. Not while I'm still alive."

Lor brought herself up to meet Tish, despite her athletic prowess, she had a bit of her grandmother in her in the height department, "He's over you now," she said calmly, "And I helped him realize that he doesn't need to be jerked around by you anymore. You didn't love him enough to go to the same college as him, you didn't love him enough to return his affections the other night, What makes you think that he's going to love you now?"

"Because it's his love to give," Tish tried to explain, "Not that I would expect you to understand. That boy spent the last seven years carrying a torch for me. You want to hear me say it again? Fine! I've been a real bitch, Lor. I've spent these years being bitter and childish. But Tino always knew. He loved me anyway, even when I was too busy running away from him. And the Tino I know believes that love is real. He may have let himself forget about me for a night, but I don't care how much of that body you flash him. He will always love me. And I'll always love him. Because we're not like other people. You've never really been in love," Tish shook her head, "I almost feel sorry for you, Lor. You've turned cheap sex into a replacement for it, but forgotten what sex is supposed to be all about."

"God!" Lor proclaimed as she threw her arms up in the air and paced around, smirking at Tish, "You're life is a freaking fairy tale, isn't it? No, better yet, you life is one of those stupid Shakespearian plays that you're always going on about. You were right, Tish. You have been a total bitch. But not just this week. Ever since I've met you, you're always had to be the centre of attention. You would always go about like you were so damn smart and perfect and everyone around you is just privilege to bask in your glow. I've always hated that about you."

"Well, at least now I know what you really think about me. I can't believe that we were friends all this time!"

"Friends?" Lor sputtered. "Don't make me laugh! You were always hanging over me in high school, trying to be in with the cooler crowd like Carver and me. What was I really, Tish? Your ticket out of Geekville?"

"Oh, please! You only hung around me to cheat off my tests and con me into helping with your projects! You wouldn't have gotten out of grade school if it wasn't for me!"

"Wannabe!" Lor yelled at the brunette.

"Whore!" Tish screeched back.

"I don't care if I ever see you again!"

"My sentiments exactly! I'm going to see Tino!"

"He's not home, remember!" Lor yelled at her former friend as Tish began walking away.

"Than I'll just go find him without your help, thank you very much!"

"Good riddance!"

Lor, infuriated, watched Tish march back down the path and escape from her vision. Her fists were shaking, her teeth were grinding. Finally she just looked up to the heavens and let it all out in a deafening scream that the whole park could hear. It was even enough to rustle a flock of birds out of the trees. After venting all of her anger and frustration, she slumped back down onto the bench and buried her face into her hands, "I need help."

Author's Notes:  
Man, it's been a while since I've added to this story. An interesting chapter if I do say so myself. At this point in the story, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to place all of the characters in the right place at the right time. But I managed to work it out. Things are looking grim for Tish now. Just when she's come to accept that she still has feels for Tino, she finds out what happened the night before and now she and Lor have had a life-long friendship ending fight. I haven't decided yet whither they'll forgive and forget by the end of the story, I just we'll just find out when we get there. Lor, for one, has a few problems that she needs to work out first. Well, I actually can't wait to get started on the next chapter because there is a brilliant scene with Lor and Emese that I have been saving for months. At this point I would bit my farewells until next time, but now you get a special treat. Please put your hands together for the first ever co-author notes from Malachite.

Co-Author's Notes:  
Hey, Lord Malachite here. I had to tie Didjargo up so I could actually say something myself about the story we bring you every so often. Well, okay. Maybe not tie him up. Perhaps the proper phrase should be "wait until he got too lazy to want to write the notes." So here I am.

This is where I suppose I'm supposed to say something witty about the chapter, but I'd like to take a moment or two to mention the story as a whole. From the get-go, this has been something of an ambitious project. Certainly not the biggest that I've taken on, but I do find it occupying my late nights as Didj and I pass a file back and forth, trying to one up each other. It's not exactly a traditional form of writing, but it seems to be working fairly well, so I won't question it.

When Didjargo first approached me with this story, I didn't know what to expect. It really could have gone in a lot of different directions. As many know, I've been working like a slave at my Hey Arnold! Epics for some time now, which means that my epic Weekenders story, "Awakening," has fallen into that dreaded place known as the back burner. So when I was asked to do a bit of pre-reading for this story, I felt like I was visiting with old friends again. It wasn't long before I found myself contributing little bits here and there, until we both finally decided that we're good writers alone but great when put together. So for the majority of this story, a lot of detailed planning has gone into each chapter. It's not just a matter of what happens next, it's more like playing a game of chess, where we constantly have to be looking ahead and thinking of the consequences of character actions.

But even though it's a lot of work, it is frequently a lot of fun as well. Working with these characters again is something of a homecoming to me, like good friends who I haven't seen in too long. I'm glad that through this story, I'm still blessed with the opportunity to give something back to all the Weekenders fans out there. The show passed before its time, and someone has to remember it.

Truly, some parts of this story remind me of my own life, much like "Awakening." There are many times when the characters zag where they should have zigged, and every time I watch one of them make a mistake, I wonder how much of myself is in them. From the delightfully nervous and love starved Tino, to the sometimes overbearing yet always endearing Tish, to the care-free, devil may care Lor, I see parts of myself in all of them. And yes, even in Carver, the only one in this story who seems to have all his stuff together. We'd thought about causing problems for Carver too, but then we realized, hey, someone in this bunch has to be sane. Sometimes I feel like they're my own children, but I suspect that's just a paternal side effect one gets from being a writer.

Anyway, I just wanted to express how grateful I am to help in bringing this story to you all with each update. I hope that you'll find it entertaining right through to the end, and perhaps number it among your favorites.

Later days, indeed.

Lord Malachite

Author's Notes… again:  
Wow, sure blew my dinky little author's notes out of the water. Very well played, Malachite. I would almost say that your co-author notes would fit better as a goodbye speech for the final chapter, but I'm sure you'll have more to say when that time comes. Okay, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and R&R as always.


	16. Breaking Point

Time Capsule

Chapter 16: Breaking Point

Emese heard a knock at the door and went over to answer it. On the other side, she was greeted by a rather shameful Lor. "Hi Mrs. Dickson, may I come in?"

"It's alright Lor, you don't have to be so formal."

"Okay… um… Emese. Man, it just feels weird calling you by your first name."

"Well you used to call me "Tino's mom" for the longest time, now by all means come on in. I was just making dinner."

Lor followed her gracious hostess in. Upon entering the kitchen, Emese handed her a bowl of something-or-other and a whisk. "Here, you can mix this while you tell me what's on your mind," Emese said as she attended to a pot on the stove.

Lor took a look around at the culinary concoction the older woman had brewing all over the kitchen, sighing to herself, she placed the bowl down on the counter, "I'm sorry, I must have come at a bad time."

She turned to leave but Emese spoke up without taking her eyes off the stove, "Dixon took Dante to baseball practice, and Tino's out right now. If you need to talk to me about what happened with you and Tino, and how Tish feels about it, now is probably the best time."

Lor stopped and turned back around, "I almost forgot that you know everything. So does that mean you can help me?"

"I don't hear any mixing," Emese chimed.

Lor quickly scooped up the bowl and began to rapidly mix the contents together. She watched Mrs. Dickson pace about the kitchen as if the entire room was an extension of her body. Lor stuttered to say something but wouldn't want to intervene.

Emese place a lid on the pot and turned around to look at Lor. "Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader… why don't you tell me specifically what you want my advice about."

"I can't break it down to one thing really. It's the whole damn mess that I've gotten myself into. I messed up Tino, Tish hates me now. This is what I get for trying to reunite old friends."

"That's good enough." Emese commented as she took the bowl from Lor and placed it on the table. "Okay, firstly you didn't 'mess up' my son. Trust me, I have no aspirations of being a grandmother just yet, but sooner or later someone had to go and… well, as Dixon would put it, make a man out of him."

"So… you're alright with that?"

"I didn't say that," Emese responded flatly.

"Oh. . .so. . .I guess you're not okay with it."

"I didn't say that."

"Okay, now I'm confused."

"Lor, despite the fact that he rarely acts like it, my son is a grown man. He's capable of making his own decisions about these sorts of things."

"So you're okay with it, then."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe it's not my approval you should be looking for?"

"Um. . .no, not really. Who else is there?"

"What about Tino?"

"Well, I didn't exactly, um, pleasure myself the other night." Lor blushed.

"No. But what happened between you two; do you think it's what Tino wanted?"

"Well, yeah! I mean… he was so sad… and totally adorable. I saw what he was going through and… it was more than feeling bad for him. It was hurting me. I mean, look, don't ever tell him I said this. . ." Lor paused, and it took a beat for Emese to realize the girl was waiting for her acknowledgment.

"I promise."

"I'm serious! You can never tell him!"

"All right, all right, I'll never tell him! Must be some secret, hmm?"

"You might say that." Lor twiddled her fingers together nervously. "It's just that I. . .I don't know, I guess you could say I really love the little spaz." Emese cocked her eyebrow in response to Lor's revelation, causing Lor to wave her hands in front of her. "Not love him like I want to marry him or anything! But. . .I dunno, kind of like a sister. Only without all the creepy incest stuff and. . .this is getting really weird!" Lor wanted to bury her face in her hands. Emese did not tease her as she had expected, which made the situation slightly more bearable. "It's just. . .that night. . .when Tino and I had sex, It was so… I mostly remember just holding onto him afterward until he fell asleep. It's never really been like that before. I'm not really that kind of person. But he just felt so fragile, and I just wanted him to know I was there for him. Maybe this was just the only way I knew how to show it to him?"

"Do you regret it?" Emese asked, forcing Lor to confront feelings she had been trying to keep away from her conscious.

"A little. I don't regret what we did. I think that maybe we needed to it. We've been friends all our lives, right? Guys and girls don't usually make the best of friends because of this sort of thing. Until this week, Tino and I hadn't really talked for years. I don't even know what we'll be like in the future, if we'll still be friends. But at least now we'll always have a part of each other, right?"

"And what about Tish?" Emese asked.

"That's where the regret comes in. I didn't know she still wanted him. I mean, she was so cold to him, I guess I just didn't see it. I guess it was dumb of me to try to help him get past her. I was there for the fallout all those years ago. I knew he was still hung up on her… so I thought I could get him past her. But if she was angry with him before, she probably hates him now."

"I don't think that Tish hates my son." Emese smiled.

"She hates me, too."

"No she doesn't. She's hurt, and angry, and confused. How would you feel if the situation were reversed?"

"I'd probably be pretty upset."

"Tish has had a lot of trouble confronting the fact that she's still hopelessly in love with my son. When she found out about what happened between you and Tino, that reality slapped her across the face. She thinks he's in love with you now."

"I don't think Tino's in love with me, but… he did seem a little upset when I left him the next morning."

"He was vulnerable. Love, and especially sex, tends to make us all vulnerable. That's never changed. If you don't believe me, try asking your mother about-" Mrs. Dickson bit her tongue and looked over in time to see the young woman wrenching the whisk in her hands. Her head slumped down to hide her eyes behind her bangs. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I honestly forgot! I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Emese rapidly apologized.

"My mother's been gone for two years." Lor said bitterly. "And do you know what hurts the most? It's that I never did know who she really was. And now I never will."

"You still have your Grandma, right?"

"Yeah, but she's from my dad's side. My mother's side of the family never comes to visit. It's like she doesn't exist."

"Do you miss her?"

"No." Lor spoke dispassionately, devoid of emotion. "I don't miss her. I don't miss her because I barely knew her when she was alive. I was too busy hiding from her. I was ashamed, because I wasn't a regular girl like my mother. I didn't want to put on dresses or play with dolls. I wanted to be like my brothers," Lor stepped back and wiped her eyes dry, "Anyways, I shouldn't be dumping all of my problems on you. Thanks for you're help, I should be going now."

As Lor motioned to leave the kitchen, Emese placed a hand on her shoulder, "Talk to your father, Lor. He misses you."

Lor gave a shy smile, "You really do know everything."

"No, I'm just a good listener," Emese smiled back.

Just then the front door opened. "Hey mom, I'm home," Tino called from the hallway.

Lor immediately began to panic. "Oh crap," she whispered, "Tino's here! I- I can't talk to him right now, I have to get out! Please, Mrs. Dickson, help me escape!"

"Lor, I am not going to help you escape from my own house," Emese said.

"But- but…" was all Lor could say before Tino wondered into the kitchen.

"Hey mom, is that dinner, I… Lor?" Tino asked in shock.

"Tino!" Lor returned with a wide, nervous smile.

To add to the awkwardness, Carver followed right behind Tino, "Geez, Tino. Don't announce my presence or anything… Lor?"

"Carver?" Lor asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

"I live here!" Tino retorted.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Carver asked Lor.

"I… um…. I- I…" Lor fell silent, and for a while, no one spoke.

"Well, I should probably go check on the laundry," Emese spoke up before leaving the room.

Lor watched the woman of the house leave the situation then cast her eyes to the floor, "I… was just leaving."

And with that she started to move through the doorway between them, but Carver stopped her, "Wait a minute, did you talk to Tish today?"

"… No." she lied.

"Lor," Carver pressed in an accusing voice.

"……… Yes." She grudgedly confessed. This admission made Tino's eyes go wide.

Carver looked at Tino's expression and then looked back at Lor with a frown. "Please tell me that you didn't tell her!"

Lor didn't answer, only shifted her gaze away from Carver's.

"I can't believe you, Lor!" Carver scolded, "I told you not to tell her! Geez, what were you thinking? Just when I thought we had everything under control, you go and-"

"Oh, just shut the hell up!" Lor erupted, "Who do you think you are? Where do you get off telling us who we can and cannot be with? I've had it, Caver! I'm sick of you watching over us all week, trying to make things perfect for Tish and Tino here!"

"Lor... I'm s-"

"I said SHUT UP!" Lor screamed, "God, don't you ever get tired of hearing the sound of your own voice? You think you're so smooth, don't you? That you could do no wrong and in the end we're all going to praise the great Carver for reuniting our favorite little lovebirds! Did you even listen Carver? Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"The sound of no one asking for your freaking opinion! You always have to do this! You always need to make everything about you! Oh, the world would just fall apart if the invincible Carver didn't come running in to save us! You really take the cake, pal! You're so smart; you think you know everything, don't you? What the hell do you know about me, about any of us! You haven't seen me in years, Carver. You weren't even there to say goodbye to me when I left this god-forsaken town. Tino was the only one. Funny how he was always the spaz, but he's the only one who shows up to see me off. And now you think you can just waltz in here and start judging me! Why? Because I nailed Tino?"

Lor noticed that Carver was taken aback by her bluntness, and she gave no quarter, pressing her advantage now that he was on the ropes. "You heard me. I gave that boy the night of his life. Someone had to. No one else would validate him. You call yourself his friend, but all you gave him was a bunch of mealy-mouth bullcrap about getting his ex-girlfriend back. You know, maybe he wouldn't have carried a torch for the girl that dumped him all those years ago if you hadn't been so god-damned encouraging! And now you want to turn me into the villain here. Well I've got news for you. I will not play a slut Carver, not for you, not for anyone. So you can get that idea out of your head right now. But thanks for letting me know what you really think of me. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can be another one of your fantasies when Moira gets boring, right? You are so full of crap. But what makes you so disgusting is that you don't even realize it."

"But- But Lor, I-"

"Just don't talk to me right now," Lor said in a much lower but still hatful tone, her voice coming out raspy from all the shouting matches she has recently partaken in, "I'm having a bad day."

She then pushed her way past Carver and turned a gaze toward Tino, whom has been standing there like a deer caught in the headlight during the whole argument. "If it's any consolation, she was madder at me," Lor told him with a calm voice, "She says that she was still going to look for you… I hope you two can work things out."

The two men watched as she swung the front door open and closed it shut behind her. "Um, what just happened here?" Tino asked.

"That, my friend, was the sh_ee_t hitting the fan."

"… Carver, I think that she has a point."

Carver spun around to face him, "Come on, man. Whose side are you on here?"

Tino shook his head, "I'm not taking anyone's side. I'm just saying that maybe it's not right to try and keep these things from Tish. I mean, she deserves to know."

"Are you sure about this? I know women and this seems like a deathtrap to me."

"Carver, please, you've been my best friend all my life. At the very least, respect me enough to talk to her honestly and work this out on my own."

Carver gave a sigh, "Alright man. Are you going to go out and look for her?"

"No, Lor said that Tish was looking for me. So I'm just going to stay here for a bit. Besides, I've got a bunch of work that I took with me this week that I haven't even touched yet."

"Okay, Tino. I should leave you to your work then," Carver said with a wave as he turned around to leave.

"Hey, Carver," Tino said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Are you okay, I mean with what Lor just said to you?"

"Hey, no problem, man. It's all water off a duck's back. I'm sure she was just venting."

"I don't think so, she seemed pretty mad at you."

"Not to worry, I'll fix everything up so that… ahem, I mean… I'm sure things will work out," Carver said in a meek tone.

"Carver?"

"I've got stuff that needs doing. I'll catch you later." And without another word he left the house via the same route Lor took.

Outside the house, Carver walked down the front steps and stepped into his car. Sitting in the driver's seat, he didn't turn the ignition, only slumped in his seat and let out a deep sigh. He took a moment to remove his glasses and rubbed his eyes. They weren't entirely for style. He became far-sighted when he was 15. At first, he was simply going to get contacts, but then he thought that if anyone could make glasses look good, it was him. He remembered when he had to go shopping for his first pair, he dragged Tish along, claiming that after he picked out a pair for himself, he'd find a pair that would look perfect on her. She refused every step of the way, arguing that she liked her old glasses just the way they were. Another shining example of how he tried to force his friends to act like he would. How many times had he let his ego get the better of him? Proclaiming that he knew what was best when really he didn't know anything at all.

He then brought his attention to his engagement ring. Thinking about how many times he claimed that he knew everything about women. Yet throughout high school, he carried the nicknames 'Heartbreaker' and 'Peppy La Pue' with an odd sense of pride. Was it really something for him to be proud about? How many times did he and Moira break up because he was caught chasing some other girl? And why did she forgive him every time he came groveling at her feet, promising that it would never happen again? Could he make that promise… could he keep that promise when they got married?

He knew it for himself, but didn't tell the others. The reason why he was trying so hard to get Tino and Tish back together was more than just him being a good friend. He was nervous, petrified about crossing this line with Moira. He loved her with all his heart and, despite his promiscuous behavior during his younger days; he couldn't picture himself spending the rest of his life with any other woman. He knew in his mind that T&T were the greatest couple that he'd ever had the pleasure of being friends with. If he could only get them back together, he was certain that he could handle any problem that being married would present him. But… Lor was absolutely right; every attempt to get them back together only backfired and caused the rift between them to become greater. What would it be like when he and Moira get in a fight like they had?

He shook his head clear when he realized that he had been sitting in the driveway longer than he had thought. He slipped his glasses back on, turned the ignition, and pulled the car out of the driveway, off to do nothing of particular interest.

A couple of hours pass and five o'clock rolled around. Despite the fact that all Lor really wanted to do was curl up in her housecoat and slippers and eat ice cream for the rest of the night, she had to return to work for the evening shift. Her day had already been so crappy, messing up two friends' chance at happiness, losing one friend, and yelling at another. Something told her that things were only going to get worse before they got better. _If_ they got better.

"I don't wanna go back to work today, Fridays are always so God damn busy. And I've got enough on my plate as is," she groaned as she slowly lumbered down the sidewalk towards the Rose Street Pub.

Eventually, she made her way to the front door. Before she could even place a hand on the door, she heard that there was already a sizable crowd gathered within. Her eye twitched as she heard a particularly excited man belt out a 'WOO!" for reasons that Lor didn't care about. She groaned once more before she opened the door and was greeted by the last thing she expected or wanted to see.

"Wwwwell, look who's de-shi-ided to wwwalzze in," slurred a certain brunette who had one too many about 10 drinks ago, "There are a lot-a guysh here! Do ya tink you can shcccrew 'em all?" She then belted out a sloppy laugh followed by an uncharacteristic belch.

"Tish? What the hell are you doing here?" Lor asked in complete shock.

She didn't get her answer as a flustered waitress approached her, "Oh, Lor! It's about time you got here. We're really busy today, Get your apron on and get to work before the boss starts yelling."

The woman carried on as Lor remained in front of the door in total shock. She'd seen people get sloppy drunk like this a million times before, but this was Tish. She didn't know what to do or say. Soon, she was jerked forward as a rather rude person elbowed her out of the way of the door.

Lor inwardly groaned. Her better judgment told her to just leave and call in sick from a pay phone. But she hadn't been one to exercise her better judgment lately, why stop now. Still, she didn't have to be outright stupid. Lor resolved not to rise to the bait. "Tish, you're drunk. Go home."

Tish let out another laugh, "Sssso, you want me to fly all the way baaack to Washing… washy… to wherever I got here from just like dat?"

"No, Tish," Lor scolded as she quickly came forward and gripped Tish by the arm, "I just want you to leave! Go… stay with your parents or wherever you're staying in town! I'll even call you a cab and we can talk about this later!"

"Ggget yer hands off-a me you… you fffilthy slut! I know my rights!"

"Tish, please don't do this to me, I'm trying to help you."

"Ohhhh, oh, oh, I tink that yoooou've been doing enough help for… for whatever! I don't need you! I don't need anybody!"

"Uh huh. Tish, people that hang out in bars getting as drunk as humanly possible are not models of independence."

"You shhhhud-aaap! You're sush a smart-ass!" Tish yelled, clearly not being herself, "Well… well… I'm-a jush gonna stay right here and do… stuff! And you can't do anyting to shtop me!"

"Excuse me, miss," Interrupted a rather large man in a black t-shirt as he placed a firm hand on Tish's shoulder, "But you're going to have to leave now."

"Oh, sho now you're against me too! And I thought you were my best pal!" Tish slurred at the perfect stranger.

"Come on, let's go," the man ignored her drunken ramblings as he walked Tish out the door.

"George, wait!" Lor called to the large man, "Can… can you call her a cab?"

The man nodded at her before continuing to escort Tish out the door. Lor instinctively began to follow them as she witnessed Tish vomiting all over sidewalk before the door swung close.

"Lor, where do you think you're going," The same waitress as before stopped her, "We've got customers lined up and you're still not behind the bar. Get to work before the boss sees you standing around there."

"But, Arlene, I-"

"Go, go, go!" Arlene pushed her towards the bar.

Lor nervously did as she was told and slipped her apron on. She tried to act professional but the customers were overwhelming and her mind was completely vexed on that day's events.

"Lor, handle those customers over there," a male bartender beside her ordered. Lor obeyed without a word.

The customers on her end were rowdy and impatient. Apparently some local sports team won some important game and this was the fans' night to celebrate… Lor didn't really care. "C'mon, we've been waiting for service over here for too long!" one of them yelled.

"I'll be there." Lor bit back a curse, trying to remember the orders she had just taken in her head.

"I said Scotch on the rocks!" An angry patron said, "Where's the ice!"

"It's on the house!" Lor yelled back, trying to prepare a margarita.

Unfortunately, this customer didn't seem satisfied either. "I want more salt than that!"

Lor gave him a look. "You don't look like you need it." She scoffed, mixing the drink.

"Hey, what kind of service is this?"

"Honest." Lor huffed, slamming the glass down in front of him and responding to the next order. A rum and Coke. Finally, something easy. Lor fixed the drink without any drama. She shouted an order into the kitchen for a sandwich and poured a shot of whiskey. Next!

"I'd like a Martini, two olives." A balding man in glasses asked.

"Yeah, I got it." Lor nodded, reaching for a martini glass.

"Please, I'm very specific. I need you to use this when measuring." The customer removed a measuring cup roughly twice the size of a thimble from his inside pocket.

"I've got the eye." Lor ignored him, setting up the drink.

"You don't understand, I can taste the difference."

"Trust me, you won't." Lor said, spearing two olives and dropping them into the glass.

"I'm not paying for this." The bespectacled man pushed the glass back. "This isn't what I asked for."

"Look," Lor said, dropping a towel onto the bar. "If you don't like my drink, why don't you go home and make room for someone who will be happy to pay for one." She ignored any further protests and moved on to the next person. She knew how to handle troublemakers. Let them know they weren't going to get anywhere, and they'd just leave.

"I need a whiskey down here." She heard someone shout.

"In a minute." Lor hollered back as she began mixing a Kiss In The Dark for one of her infrequent female customers.

"Hey, lady! Whiskey!" Lor shot the protesting patron a look. Typical blowhard.

"I'll be there." She yelled back, trying to focus on her current concoction.

"Listen blondie, I expect some stinking service pronto. How hard is your job, that you can't pour a paying customer a drink? Obviously you've got little to offer or you wouldn't be in a place like this. Can't you get anything right!"

And that was it, the straw that broke the camel's back. Usually, Lor would tell this guy off, or get the jerk thrown out. But for whatever reason, that wasn't her reaction. Everything that happened to her that day wore down on her emotions like an axe against a tree trunk. Little by little that day had chipped away at her. Now, every single fiber of her mental and emotional state just… snapped.

Her sight grew blurred and all sound came to her as muffles. She shut her eyes as every light in the room burned her vision like a sun. She dropped whatever drink she was preparing all over the counter as she brought her hands up to grip her head. An excruciating headache pounded throughout her skull. She felt dizzy, confused, she lost sight of where she was and backed into the wall behind her, causing a few bottles to plummet from the shelve as she did so. The sound of bottles shattering on either side of her felt like jagged knifes piercing her head. She fell to the ground, crying uncontrollably; anything she tried to say came out as incoherent sobs. She buried her face into her hands to try and escape the world.

The last thing she remembered hearing was the male bartender yelling, "Lor? Lor! Someone call an ambulance!"

Author's Notes:  
I'll tell you right now, if that doesn't get the reviews rolling in, I don't know what will! I feel so sorry for Lor right now; I played so much drama on her in this chapter that she had a nervous breakdown. And yes, indeed this was Lor's chapter, her moment in the spotlight so to speak. I also liked how I preyed upon… I mean _played_ upon Carver there. Clearly, no one gets out of this story unharmed. Malachite and I really enjoyed writing that scene between Lor and Emese. It was actually written months ago when we were thinking about Lor's relationship with her mother. Oh, one other note before I go, after I upload this chapter, I'm going to go back and make one minor change to the story. Don't worry, it won't affect the plot at all, I'm just changing it so that Lor lived in LA before returning to Bahia Bay as opposed to living in New York. So now, she lived in New York when she first got back form Europe, slowly moved across the country over the years, and came to LA. It must makes more sense that way but also, it fits Lor better into Malachite's story "Instant Gratification" Where she appears as Helga's roommate in LA.


	17. No Resolve

Tim Capsule

Chapter 17: No Resolve

"For the hundredth time, Zack, I said I'm fine!" Lor insisted, pushing away one of her worried co-workers as she sat in the small staff room where she had spent the last few minutes recovering. The co-worker in question happened to be the fellow bartender who was beside her when she collapsed.

"I'm sorry Lor, it just looked like you had a real episode back there. Are you sure you don't need to go to a hospital?"

"Listen you worry wart, how bad do you think it would look for the pub if an ambulance pulled up outside to carry my sorry ass away? I can't believe you were actually going to call them."

"Well, I was just worried about you."

"Heh, you're a nice guy but you've seen way too many medical dramas," Lor smirked.

"Really? You think I'm nice?" Zack rubbed the back of his head.

"Err, don't read too much into that." Lor responded.

Just then the door to the staff room opened and Arlene, the waitress, stepped in. The muffled sounds of the crowded pub came clear for the moment before Arlene discreetly closed the door behind her. "Hey Lor, you feeling better?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Lor was getting tired of repeating that, "But I still don't know what the hell happened."

"You had a nervous breakdown." Zack noted. This resulted in Lor giving him a harsh punch in the arm.

Arlene continued undaunted, "Well, I just spoke with the boss, and he told me to tell you…"

"Oh God, I'm fired! Aren't I?" Lor immediately assumed, slapping her hands over her head as if a bomb was just dropped on her.

"Um, no. He said you could take the rest of the night and tomorrow off."

Lor rose her head in astonishment and relief, "What? Really? After what happened?"

"Well, he said that it's hard enough to find a good bartender in this town. So, yeah, he went easy on you. Just don't go making a habit out of it."

"I think he was just relieved that you didn't haul off and start a fight," Zack added on, which resulted in both Lor and Arlene giving him a punch in both his arms.

"I still don't know," Lor concerned, knowing that she'd been fired lots of times in the past for less, "I mean, I kind of made it look like I can't handle my job."

"Don't worry about it," Arlene placed a hand on Lor's shoulder, "We all know it's not your fault. Even George came to your defence about that crazy drunken woman who harassed you."

Lor quickly rose from her seat and slapped Arlene's hand away. "Hey, don't talk about her like that! It's not her fault!"

Arlene took a step back, "Whoa, whoa. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean anything by it. What? Do you know her or something?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact she's a… she's a…" a cold realization fell on Lor and she faded into a melancholy sigh, "She was an old friend of mine. Look, I'm just going to go home now. I'll see you guys on Sunday."

Without another word, Lor made her way past her co-workers, through the crowded pub, and out the front doors into the fresh air of the lonely sidewalk. "Good Lord, how much more messed up can my life get?" She asked to the sky.

Lor suddenly heard an all too familiar voice coming from her side, "Lor… is it really you?"

Lor's eyes shot wide at the sound of this voice "Oh my God, it can't be!" She thought to herself without thinking that she couldn't avoid him forever.

In another part of town, Carver rose from the book her was reading when he heard a loud pounding on his hotel room door. Before catering to the person at the door, he checked the time. It wasn't that late, only quarter to eight. But still, he had to wonder what kind of situation would demand his attention this much.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Carver said as she made his way over to the door while the knocking persisted. He peered though the peak hole to see a fish-eyed distortion of Tish swaggering back and forth. "Well, this is a new low," he sighed before letting her in.

"Is this Carver's room? Cuze I keep on forgetting which number it is," Explained a still drunken Tish, though she was clearly been able to regain control over her speech.

"Good God, you're drunk off your rocker," was Carver's choice of greetings.

"Hey, I'm not as think as you drunk I am," Tish rolled out the old joke and laughed because she currently thought it was the funniest thing in the world.

"I suppose I should be in shock right now, but I'll just cut to the chase and ask how much you've had," Carver remarked with distain while leaning on the doorframe.

"You know, I'd reeeally love to answer that but I think I can't remember," Tish answered with a crooked grin, "Now are you gonna let me in or what?"

Carver let out a sigh, "By all means, I certainly can't have you staggering about like this."

"Thanks a bunch, pal!" Tish said with a pat on Carver's shoulder as she walked into the room and fell face first onto the couch.

Carver closed the door and followed after her, "Let me guess, Lor told you about what happened with her and Tino and you decided to have a few drinks to wash away your troubles."

"Hey, no mind reading, remember?" Tish pointed with her face still buried in the couch cushion.

"C'mon, Tish! It's written all over your face." Carver said as he sat down on a nearby chair, "Geez, so this is what you're like drunk. It's like I'm looking at your evil twin."

"Ah, get over it, I've been drunk before."

"Ha, not that I've seen. Our get together a few days ago was the fist time I've ever seen you take a sip of alcohol. Not that that turned out any good for you either."

"Just shut up about that!" Tish snarled, rolling over on the couch to face Carver, "So, yeah, okay. I have a little bit of a drinking problem. But it's not like am an alcoholic. I'm just a …a…"

"Borderline alcoholic?" Carver pegged on.

"I'll agree with you only because I'm too out of it to come up with something smarter. It's not like I can't control myself, Carver. It's just… I like the way that alcohol makes me feel. Everything is a little less real. When I'm drinking, I can face my life a lot easier. I'm not saying that I like it any better, more like I find that my failures in life just don't seem so disappointing. I don't like to think about how my life hasn't turned out like I wanted it to. But you couldn't understand that." Tish groaned as she rolled over some more to face the back of the couch, "You're doing exactly what you always wanted to do. And it's hard for me not to be jealous."

"Tish, what I don't understand is why you feel that you don't deserve a better life."

"What? Are you saying that it's real easy like a get rich quick scheme?"

"No Tish, what I mean is that all your life, you've had hopes and dreams. And as soon as you had to give up Tino to pursue those dreams, it's like you didn't feel that you were worthy enough to obtain them."

Tish began to sob quietly, "I didn't want to leave him behind. But my brain was telling me that this was the best course. Get good grades, get into the best university that I could, live a happy and successful life. But the whole time I was at university, I felt like I betrayed both Tino and myself. Like I took the most important thing in my life and tossed it out the window for my own selfish needs. And then I reject him when he tried to kiss me the other night. I didn't want to do that either but my stupid smart brain told me that I couldn't give my hopes up. That after this week we would all return to our boring lives and I'd feel twice as miserable if I let myself fall for him again. It's just… it's just…… bucket."

"Um, bucket? Bucket what?"

"I need one… NOW!"

Carver leapt off his chair, "Oh, crap! Um, geez, uh, hang in there," Carver stammered as he paced around trying to find something, anything for her to lose it in. He settled on the small garbage pale behind the wet bar. He grabbed, it, ran back over to Tish, and handed it to her just in time.

"RRRRooolllllgggglllll!" Went the content of Tish's stomach.

Carver stood helplessly a few feet from her, "Um, are you going to be okay?"

"RRRrrrrooooooollll (hack, hack) Roollloooorrrr"

Carver didn't say anything else as he was sure that Tish couldn't respond to him. He took a step towards her but then stopped in hesitation. He quickly took off his shoes as to not get any stray vomit on them then took a seat beside her to hold her hair back.

"Thank you," Tish managed to groan. Her face was beaded with sweat and her eyes were watering.

"No problem. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I think I got all of it out……… No I didn't RRrRRRoooolllllfffgiirrrllll!"

Carver waited for a moment just to make sure that there was no more coming. He then stood up and removed the plastic bag from the well-used garbage/vomit bin. "I'll… just rid of this," he said as he held the weighted down bag aloft, "Just try to relax."

Tish only gave a quiet groan in response.

Carver returned in a few moments with a new plastic bag for the bin and a glass of water for Tish. He lined the bag in the bin, keeping it within Tish's arm reach, and knelt down to give her the drink. "Here, have some water."

Tish lifted her heavy head to take the drink. While Carver was helping holding her head up, he reached over and grabbed a throw pillow to place under her head. "You're the sweetest older brother that I never had." Tish said before going limp.

Carver gave a quiet chuckle at the comment. He lifted himself up and walked into Tish's room where he pulled of comforter off her bed and came back to drape it over his slumbering guest. "Goodnight, Tish. Tomorrow will be better. I swear."

D-Dad!" Lor stuttered as she finally turned to face him. His hair had greyed before his time and he now walked with a cane. He looked at his daughter as if her image brought back memories of joy and sorrow, to which he quickly covered up with a few blinks.

"So… This is where I find you," He began, "I didn't believe it when Danny told me but here you are."

"Danny?" Lor asked, remembering one of her younger brothers who would be about 19 by now. If anything, this should be the last thing on her mind. On top of everything that befell her that day, she now stood in front of the father who she was constantly torn between yearning to see and unable to confront.

"Yeah," Her father responded, "He called me from the pub saying that he saw you fainting. I came down as soon as I could. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she answered despondently, "it's nothing, really. I just… ate something that didn't agree with me."

"Come here, let me take a look at you." And with that he closed the gap between them and brought a hand gently up to her face. "My God, you look so much like her."

Lor turned her head and stepped back. "I have to go. I'm busy right now."

"Wait a minute, Lor. I haven't seen you in years. How long have you been back in town?"

"A few months… give or take." Lor responded off to the side.

"Is it so hard to drop a line and say hi? It's been so long since you left. We haven't so much as spoken to each other since-"

"Mom's funeral," Lor finished for him with a sense of sharpness, "… Yeah, thanks for reminding me."

Her father shook his head, "Let's not talk about that… so, is this where you work? Are they nice people? Are you being paid enough?"

"Don't start acting like you care." Lor pouted as she turned away from him.

"Of course I care," he objected, "I've always cared about you. That's what fathers do."

"Yeah right," Lor muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't need your sympathy." She said clearly.

"Where is all of this coming from? All I want is to talk with my only daughter and you're distancing yourself from me."

"Yeah, you might think that going halfway around the world might be some indication of that."

"But why? If nothing else, tell me where I went wrong. I loved you, I provided for you. All I wanted was for you to grow up happy and secure."

"You can drop the supportive parent act, we both know that you think that my whole life has been one mistake after another since the day I stopped listening to you."

"Well, maybe you could have done something more if you'd have just gone to-"

"Don't even say that word!" Lor interrupted, "Geez, you're like a broken record. All this proves is that you haven't changed a bit!"

"I didn't come here to argue with you Lor!"

"Well, I'd hate to say this, Dad, but you sure are steering towards one!"

"All I asked of you was to try to make something with your life! Try to plan for the future. You could have been so much more."

"More than what? More than a lonely bartender? Is that what you were getting at?"

"Tell me, where do you see yourself in five years?"

Lor rolled her eyes in frustration, "God, not this question again!"

"Just tell me."

"I don't know, okay? You've asked me that same question five years ago and I didn't know then. If I could have looked into the future to where I'm standing right now I would have told you I'm… I'm…" Her father gave a knowing look and Lor only returned a glare, "You know what, Dad? You don't know everything."

"You're right, Lor. I don't know everything. Never claimed to, wouldn't trust anyone who did. But you're not a child anymore. What you do need to know is where your life is going."

Lor raised her finger and opened her mouth to give a response. She hesitated for a moment, and then spoke with forced calmness. "Why can't you just let me live my life the way I want to? I… I have done more, and seen more than most people do in a lifetime. So what if I don't have anything to show for it? If I don't have money put away for a rainy day? I live in the moment, Dad, that's just who I am. I'll worry about the future when it gets here."

"You should worry about it today, Lor. No one said you have to change who you are. But you're a big girl now and you have responsibilities. And like it or not, you can't keep living like you're a teenager."

"Watch me." Lor turned her back on him, unable to contain her anger.

"Are you so focused on your anger towards me that you're going to put you're own future in jeopardy as some way of getting back at me?"

"I don't hate you, Dad," her voice came up rasp, "I just want you to understand me… You're always so stubborn. Of course, I'm stubborn too. I guess it's hereditary. It was simpler when I was a kid. But now it's different."

"Does that mean that we can't reach a resolve?"

"Not right now, Dad. I can't talk to you right now… not today. I've got too much on my plate…. Not today."

"Are you going to leave again?"

Lor shook her head in response and began walking away.

"Lor…" Her father called at a distance, causing her to stop for a moment, "I don't want it all to end like this. I want you to call me when you're ready to talk."

"I've tried, Dad," Lor whispered, "Lord knows I tried."

The light from the sun penetrating her eyelids was what first awoke Tish. Surely she would have just tried her best to ignore it, thinking that if she could fall back to sleep, than she wouldn't have to deal with the hangover she could already feel the affects of creeping up on her. She tensed her eyelids and tried to slumber off. But then the sound of two people having a conversation further threw her into the waking world.

"It's just Carver," she thought to herself, "Talking to… Tino?"

Her eyes bolted open at this realization and she immediately recoiled and groaned as the sun from the window pierced her eyes. By instinct, she reached for the end table to gain her glasses, but her hand flopped around in the air. It was then that it dawned on her that she wasn't in her room and her glasses were still on her face. She slowly forced her eyes open to gain her bearings. She witnessed what she was indeed laying on the couch of the main room of the hotel suite and Carver and Tino were having an idle conversation not too far away. Just the act of looking around gave her enough of a headache.

She clutched the comforter to herself tightly, feeling naked beneath it. In actuality, she was still wearing her skirt and blouse from the night before, but she knew that they likely reeked of alcohol and other things she'd rather not think of. Her mind felt foggy. There was a dull ache growing stronger in her head, and Tish tried to limit her movements, not wanting to grant her hangover any more strength than necessary. What had she let herself do last night? Her hair actually hurt, it felt greasy and matted, and she knew how badly she must be in need of a shower. But she couldn't slip off to the bathroom without walking by Tino, and the thought of him seeing her like this was more than she could bear. She screwed her eyes shut once more, hoping she could give the impression that she was still asleep. She folded her hands together gently and began saying a prayer to herself, something she often did in these situations, even though she wasn't entirely certain she believed in a God. But at times like these, she was willing to try anything.

But as much as she just wanted to remain motionless, she soon had to accept one very simple fact; she had to use the washroom really badly. At first, she contemplated trying to hold it in, but this actually gave her the perfect excuse to slink by Tino without intervention and with minimal offence to his sight and smell.

She gradually pulled herself into a sitting position, her insides felt like she was a human rain stick. Completely cloaking herself in the comforter, she tried to stand with minimal noise as to not draw attention to herself. She glanced over to see the boys took no notice to her movements. Tish forced herself to take a cautious step forward, wobbled for a moment, and then took another step. It was then that she accidentally knocked over the bucket that was left at her side during the night. Fortunately, the bucket was empty so nothing ghastly spilt out. However, it was still enough noise to bring her under the full attention of Tino and Carver.

The boys looked at her and an awkward moment pasted as Tish stood there like a deer caught in the headlights before she took a grand sprint toward the bathroom door. She further embarrassed herself when she slammed into the door before finding the handle and escaping into the sanctity of the bathroom. She pressed herself against the door and let the comforter slip to the floor. She breathed heavily, wishing that she could just skip past this horrible scene in her life. Soon came a knock on the bathroom door, which rang in Tish's head.

"Tish, are you alright?" Came Tino's concerned voice; the voice of the very person she vowed never to see again now came as some strange comfort to her.

"I'm… I'm okay." She lied in response.

"Well you don't sound okay." Tino pointed out.

Tish really wasn't in the state of mind for this kind of conversation. Thankfully, she heard Carver come to her rescue. "T, c'mon. Give her some space, all right? She's having a hangover."

"Damn it, Carver," Tish cursed under her breath, "You didn't have to tell him that part."

"But I want to talk to her." Tino pressed.

"I'm sure it can wait," Carver told Tino.

"Could it?" Tish wondered to herself. The one person she didn't know if she could see again was pulling on those last remnants of herself that had not given up. But she had to be strong. She couldn't allow Tino to see her, not like this. She couldn't allow him to charm her. Falling into Tino's arms was just another easy way out, she knew it. Yes, she had problems. But she couldn't just let herself break down in front of him. She had seen a glimpse of herself in the mirror before looking away. If he saw her now, nothing might ever be the same between the two of them again. A weak laughter escaped her throat at that very thought, and she sank to the floor, her back against the door. Who was she kidding? Nothing could ever be the same between them again already. What had happened to them? No, that wasn't fair. What had happened to her? There was this prickly feeling in her spine as though she no longer knew exactly who she was. She wasn't the girl in the mirror, she couldn't be. That wasn't her. She refused to believe it, shaking her head back and forth as the image copied her every move.

"Tish, please, open the door." Tino called from the other side. "Just talk to me. We promised that we wouldn't shut each other out all those years ago. Please don't stop now."

Tish screwed her eyes shut, covering her ears. "Just go away." She whispered, her voice so low even she could barely make it out. She folded her knees into her chest and struggled futilely not to cry.

"Tish," Came Tino's voice again, "I'm sorry for whatever I've done to drive you to this. I was confused, all right? And I still am. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and I realize that all those years can't possibly be made up with a quick fix. I just… if I never see you again… I just want to talk. That's all……… can we talk?"

Tish took a few beats to respond, half contemplating all that was on her mind, and half hoping that he'd just give up and go away. She gave a deep sigh before saying, "Can you at least let me have a shower first?"

"… Yeah, sure."

"And can you bring me my travel bag on my bed. It's in the room on the left side of the hall."

"… Okay."

Author's Notes:  
Wow, has it really been over 2 months since I last updated this story? Sorry people. I've been concentrating more on my artwork lately. Speaking of which, I urge you to check out my work on Deviant Art. I'll provide a link at the bottom. Let me just say that the scene with Lor and her father was so hard that it took up about half the time I spend writing this chapter to get it as good as it is. And because of that, I decided to save the following conversation with Tino and Tish for the next chapter. By the way, my proof-reader, Attic Man, pointed this out and I assure you it's by mere coincidence, but apparently Tish is saying Lor backwards when she's vomiting. Subliminal messages, eh. Well. Goodbye for now. I still intend to finish this story to it's fullest potential, but I won't be updating it as often as we would all hope.

http(colon slash, slash)didj(dot)deviantart(dot)com

-Didjargo


	18. Don't Want to Hurt You

Chapter 18: Don't Want to Hurt You

By all aesthetic means, Tish made herself as prepared as possible. Mentally and emotionally, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter. It didn't help that the hangover she inflicted upon herself was still boring into her skull, a small resistance standing up against the aspirin she took minutes ago. She looked herself over in the bathroom mirror, her clothes and hair were in perfect order, any visible remnants of what she put herself through last night seemed to have been washed away down the shower drain, but her posture and expression spoke differently. All of the time in the world spent in preparation, keeping her former lover waiting like an attention starved pup, would not make her completely ready to face him; to face her past, future, and herself.

She wrapped her delicate hand around the doorknob and took in a couple of deep breathes, holding them in for elongated pauses, as if she was about to dive into a deep, dark pool and wanted as much air as possible before taking the plunge. Any attempt to calm her rapid heart had minimal effect. Finally resolving that it was now or never, she flexed her fingers around the handle and quickly gave it a turn, like it was akin to ripping off a band aid. A very brief moment of hesitation followed as she entertained the thought that he had grown tired of waiting for her and left. Then, in contrast to the purposeful sharpness of her previous action, she creaked the door open very slowly and peeked her head shyly around the edge.

Tino, who had been waiting the entire time on the couch with a rapid fidgeting of his legs, suddenly bolted to his feet the moment that he took notice of her. His face baring a mixture of longing, sorrow, abandonment, and hopefulness. Tish fully expected him to begin the conversation with a million questions all at once, but he only stood there. Clearly just as at a loss for words as she was. They could have probably spent the entire day completely silent, not daring to be the first one to speak. But they both knew in their own minds that this moment had a purpose, and a purpose that they both knew needed to be fulfilled, no matter how painful the outcome might be. There had to be a resolve.

Tish took a quick survey of the room around them. Carver was no where in sight. Which came as both a relief and a distress to the emotionally frail woman as having a third party would surely keep both of them in check, but this was also a moment that could only be shared between the two of them. Just like the moment that they became more than friends so many years ago. A shimmer of optimism graced Tish's mind. It was likely beneficial to remind herself of such fond memories during this ordeal. But the joy that memory brought up quickly became overlapped by all that occurred since the day they broke up, especially the events perpetrating from this very week.

Silently and elegantly, Tish swung the door open to it's full extension and proceeded to bridge the gap between her and Tino. Tino gazed at her with a desperate attempt to foster eye contact, but Tish simply walked in his direction with eyes case downward, curtain that looking into his emotionally boisterous face would tare apart any composure that she managed to uphold. If she wanted to walk out of this scene without either of them being worse off than they entered, she knew that she needed to control herself. She pivoted a quarter circle next to him and sat herself down on the couch. Tino soon returned to his previous position next to her.

Not being able to bare with the prolonged silence any longer, Tino took a deep breath and spoke a half syllable, quickly cutting himself off and slumping his head down to re-contemplate his choice of words. Tish, on the other hand, made no visible inclination of starting the conversation. She sat there, her hands clasped together, her lips perched, her eyes slowly darting around looking at every possible question and response that she could ask or expect from him. Both of them knew more than anything that this situation was more than just fragile. A slip of the tongue or misinterpretation from either party could easily send this moment spiralling into another bad occurrence between them. As much as she didn't want to, Tish knew that Tino was not able to begin the conversation. She finally settled on the least offencive words that she could put together.

"I'm sorry... for keeping you waiting." A simple statement that could have been taken at face value or looked into for a deeper meaning.

Tino turned his head to the side, then upwards, taking in a sigh to foster up some more composure, he brought his eyes back to Tish to say, "Carver... he stepped outside, said that I... that _we_ need to talk with just the two of us." His choice of words were shaky at best. Immediately he wished that he could have a do-over to say something more meaningful.

Tish let out an amused shallow laugh, "He's being such a good friend. Seems like every step of the way this week, he's been doing all he can for us. So mature, caring and, dare I say it- wise. He certainly has changed over the years. But then again, we all have." It was comforting to talk about something besides what needed to be said. As fleeting as this diversion was.

Tino hung on that last part for a second before responding. He didn't like change, and he especially didn't like it when people changed. He took in a longer, deeper sigh and reminded himself that change was just something that he had to deal with. His next choice of words came with a more daring approach. But none the less, it's been something that he's been aching to get out for hours now. "Tish, what I did this week, w-with Lor." He spoke her name with caution as if mentioning her would set Tish off, "It was stupid, I know. I never wanted to hurt you. I never knew that it would hurt you like this. I'm very, very sorry."

The burning subject was now laid out on the table for Tish to take as she pleased. She had so many ways of approaching it, almost all of which would be apprehensive and accusing. Anger, jealously, betrayal, regret. They were all on the tip of her tongue. And Tino would have taken her abuse, if for no other reason than that he probably felt that he deserved it. What she eventually settled on betrayed much of her emotional state. "Don't be... you didn't do anything wrong." She lowered her eyes and let the sentence drain out in a rasp.

"What do you mean?" Tino asked, only seeing his own wrongdoings in this situation. In his eyes, every downward spiral that he witnessed from the chestnut haired woman he loved came from his own selfishness and pride.

Tish slowly shook her head, "This is all my fault," she confessed while turning her gaze toward the window, "everything that has happened to me I brought upon myself. And I rejected you, Tino. You opened your heart up to me and I pushed you away." She wiped off a single tear that was welling up in her eye. "How can... how can I be mad at you after I pushed you out of my life like I did. I cut you loose, Tino. I left you broken... So you turned to Lor. The only other woman who has been a part of your life for as long as I have. Who was like a sister to me and I..." her lip quivered and more tears flooded her eyes, Tish paused for a deep breath before continuing "I completely ruined my friendship with. I screamed at her, I said horrible things to her. I took her friendship and ran it through the mud. All over something that I have no right to be upset with either of you for. You guys were the only real friends that I ever had in my life and I keep pushing you all away. First you, then Lor..." The tears streamed out freely now, her face contorted in anguish. Despite losing precious grip over her emotions, she continued between sobs. "W-why do I-I keep doing that?! All that I have l-left by my side now is Carver. And it'll be no time b-before I push him away too. I've been so mean to him this whole week, to all of you when all any of you wanted to do was make me happy... What's wrong with me?" That last part barely made it out as a whine before Tish abandoned all pretence and buried her face into her hands. Sobbing away her self-pity. She couldn't force out any more words even if she tried.

Tino was taking back by this sudden flurry of emotions that was displayed before him. He had only seen Tish cry like this a few times in his life. He vividly remembered those time. Those scenes from their past were truly painful, as was this one. And he was always there to comfort her during those ordeals. Just as she had done for him in his weakest moments. And just as he felt that he should be doing right now. Tino did not pass up the opportunity to reach his arms over and pull Tish into his chest. He had not held her this close in what seemed like a lifetime. Tish offered up no resistance, she wanted nothing more than for someone to hold her right now. They sat there in that room for as long as both of them pleased. Tish quietly sobbing her heart out and Tino letting a few tears slip of his own. For that brief moment, it was like the past 5 years never existed.

"I'm sorry, Tish," Tino apologized again, cradling his beloved like a child, "I wish I knew what I could do to help you. I really do. It hurts me to see you like this. I would give up anything right now to make you happy."

Tish gave a slightly flattered smile with a few sniffs, "Why are you so good to me? I don't deserve this, or any of the patience and friendship that you guys have shown me this past week."

"It's just what we do for each other, it's what we've always done for each other. Even before we fell in love, Tish, we always looked out for each other, no matter what. I think that all four of us had a kind of friendship that doesn't come around too often. It's something special. Something that we never should have abandoned."

"We all had to move on with our lives, Tino." Tish stated in a melancholy tone. "We couldn't stay young forever."

"Maybe. But that doesn't mean that we had to cut ourselves off from each other."

Tish settled her head onto Tino's shoulder, taking in the kind of embrace that she thought she could live without for so long. "I wish that I could get that back. Even to go back one week and do this all differently."

"I see no reason why you can't, "Tino pointed out, looking at her more directly again, "We're all here, aren't we? Despite everything, we're holding each other like we used to. Tish, I love you. And regardless of what was said the last time we were together, I have every reason to believe that you love me too."

"Yes, I love you." Tish confessed without hesitation. She had to admit that it felt nice to tell him that. And the look in his eyes told her that he felt the same. "But I don't think that things are as simple as that. I don't know if I can be the person that you loved."

"Tish, what are you saying?" Tino asked with great concern. The hopefulness of this touching moment was quickly draining away, now matter how much he willed it to stay. Tish had said this to him before just a few days ago. And that was the worst night of his life.

"I love you, Tino," she reconfirmed, she felt that he needed it, "But I don't want to hurt you again. We've all changed so much. I've changed for the worse. I'm not the same person that you knew years ago. I think that you love the memory of me, not who I am now."

"I doesn't matter how much you've changed." Tino objected, "It's you that I love, and no one else. Yes, we've all changed over the years of being apart. But we're all the same people we always were."

"But can you honestly say that you've liked the way I've acted one bit since you saw me this week? The way that I treated you and the others? The way that I've treated myself?"

"No." Tino answered frankly, as if he was waiting for this opportunity to scold her without instigating anything. Tish had a brief mixture of surprise and shame on her face, as if she had expected him to answer differently. "But I don't care about that. Because I know that's not who you really are. And I know that deep down inside, you're still the Tish I remember."

Tish gave a conversely amused huff "Are you sure about that? I might have been the kind of person you'd love when I was young, but this is pretty much who I am now. I'm not the child you knew anymore."

"Please, Tish, this is what I want. I want to be with you and only you. You said that you didn't want to hurt me again. Well, I've hurt every day since you stepped out of my life. And I felt like I died inside when you told me that you didn't love me anymore. Please, I want you back. I... we need each other."

"Maybe," Tish said off to the side as she entertained the thought, "but what if it doesn't work out? What if we can't find what we had before and we just end up hating each other more?"

"Then we'll deal with that when it comes."

"But I don't think that I can go through that again." Her eyes drifted for a moment into that painful memory of her youth.

"We won't." Tino smiled, confident that there would be a happy ending.

Tish gave up and just found comfort in the moment. Certainly any objection she could come up with would be countered by Tino's infectious determination. She nestled herself into Tino's warmth and nearly felt like slipping into a dream. But the more she tried to clear her mind, the more this nagging feeling clawed up from deep inside her. It felt like a heavy pressure in her soul that wouldn't relent. She knew that as happy as she was letting herself be, this couldn't last. She stood up quickly, breaking the physical bond that they were holding. Leaving Tino in a state of concern on the couch. She paced briefly about the room and nervously brushed aside some stray haired from her face. "I- I don't know. I mean, I didn't plan for this. Where could we go from here?" Her voice quivered slightly.

"What do you mean?" Tino asked, picking up on Tish's anxiety and showing some of his own.

"This isn't like a romance novel where we would confess our love then fade to black. We live in other states, Tino. After this week, we may not see each other for a long time again. I- I didn't want to open myself up to you the other night for that reason. I knew that after this reunion, we'd all return to our individual lives and not get together like this for God knows how long."

Tino stood up and stepped closer to her, he looked directly into her eyes like he was becoming desperate to have her see what he sees, "It's trivial. It all is. Tish, we let time and distance drive a wedge between us years ago, and now that I have you back. I won't let that happen again."

"And what do you propose we do?" Tish asked, although already at a lose for hope.

"I'll... I'll move closer to you. That'll solve things!" Tino announced with great enthusiasm.

"You can't be serious," Tish groaned at him, "You would have to give up your dream job. It's just not right; to make you do that and follow me back to my personal hell."

"Then you can move closer to me. Or we'll meet halfway. Or whatever. As long as I get to be with you."

"Forget it, Tino" Tish objected while moving a step or two away from him, crossing her arms, and looking away, "I'm in no financial position to quit my job and move across the country. Plus I have obligations back home. I'd have to figure out what do with Othello, and-"

"Othello?"

"My cat." Tish offhandedly explained, "Just forget about it, Tino. It wouldn't work out."

Tino took a moment to look her over, his eyebrows beginning to scrunch out of frustration, "What's wrong with you, Tish?" she was slightly shocked at the change in his demeanour, "I've- I've laid my heart out on the line here. We've both confessed our love for each other. There is no reason why we can't make this work; no reason why we _shouldn't_ want to make this work. But you keep pulling yourself away from me whenever you get too close. Don't you love me?"

"Of course I love you," Tish defended with full honesty, "I've always loved you. I know that I said some awful things in the past but those were a lie. It's just... I-I can't do this."

Tino began to speak more aggressively, "Why? What's left to hold you back? What's stopping you from going for what I know you and I both want? If there's any reason why you can't or wouldn't want to be with me, then I demand to know!"

"I'm scared, okay?" Tish screamed at him, causing Tino to immediately back down. There was a good solid few seconds as the moment sunk in before Tish continued. "This... is the scariest thing that I have ever had to face in my life! I know it shouldn't be, but it is. I'm scared of my future, I'm scared of myself. But mostly I'm scared for you, Tino." The last part came out softer than the rest.

"W-what do you mean by that?" Tino questioned.

Tish paced for a moment to collect herself, "It's your undying devotion to me. Your impulsive willingness to sacrifice anything for me, your job, your livelihood, all for just a moment to be with me. It's your love, Tino. A love that I feel that I don't deserve. And the fact that every day, even with years apart, it seems to grow stronger and clearer. I just... I don't know if I can live up to that standard." She came closer to him and held his hands in hers, "You have a beautiful heart, Tino. A beautiful glass heart that you're not afraid to show to the people you love. And every time that you give it to someone, and they break it, it gets harder for you to put it back together. And even then it's cracked. I just... I don't want to be the one who shatters it completely. And as the person I am now... I'm afraid of that happening."

Tino smiled and pulled Tish into him. Cradling her in his arm, he whispered in her ear, "If anyone were to break my heart so that I could never love again. I could think of no better person than you. Because... Tish, there's no one else who's worth loving. And the truth is, I'm scared too. I'm scared of what you're doing to yourself. And I'm scared of what will happen if I'm not there for you. That's why I can't stop. That's why I can't give up on you. That's what makes me brave."

"...What do I do?" Tish asked as she was beginning to sob again.

"Just be with me." Tino answered.

They stood there in the middle of the room for a moment. "My flight leaves tomorrow morning." She said while muffled into his shoulder, counting down the minutes they have left together before life pulled them apart again.

"Tomorrow doesn't matter. Just be with me, Tish. Even if we never see each other again. Even if it hurts for a million years after. Just be with me right now."

After another moment, Tish brought her head up to look Tino in the eyes. Her own eyes glittering from freshly drawn tears, but of also happiness and acceptance. Her breath was still staggered, but her smile was warm. She whispered the word "Okay." before closing her lips over his. Five years of neglect, every cruel word spat, all washed away in the wake of each kiss followed by a longer one in this timeless beautiful moment. Tomorrow might be different, but today, for today they are complete.

Just then, a digital tune began ringing out between them. Tish darted her eyes back and forth with a raised eyebrow. "Is that the theme to Knight Rider?" She asked while barely removing her lips from Tino's.

"It's ah... it's my cell phone." Tino sheepishly apologized, "Forget about it, it'll just go to voice mail. Now, where were we?"

The couple allowed themselves to sink into each other's arms. Finally giving into the kind of embrace that the have both gone without for so long. Tino couldn't help but think about how many years it has been. He had nearly forgotten how thick and enveloping Tish's hair was, so long had it been since they had been this intimate. Tish shivered slightly in apprehension at first, residual fears of letting herself into his life so much again, but somehow, he quelled all of her fears. Still, she felt small and vulnerable in his arms, and yet so full of life beneath the surface. She only needed to believe in herself, believe in them, once more. "You still collect the Captain Dreadnought books?" Tish asked with a bemused expression.

"Hey, I have to keep an eye on what my competition is doing, right?"

"Right." Tish responded sarcastically, and a laugh came out of her throat that Tino hadn't heard in entirely too long-- one of her beautifully geeky little laughs that had always sounded like music to him. "And to think I'd almost let myself forget all the little things I adore about you." She grinned, leaning forward and pushing her weight onto him, letting her head rest against his chest.

Carver squinted with annoyance at his cell phone. Not even bothering to leave a message for Tino, he clicked the end button. "Well, Tino's not answering his cell and Tish's is turned off." He explained as he turned toward Emese who was walking into the living room of her home with the long neglected time capsule in hand.

Emese grinned as she set the box on the coffee table, "Good, then it sounds like they're both busy. Looks like you may as well try Lor next."

"Lor?" Carver gulped, still a little gun shy from the verbal beating she gave him last time they spoke, "You know what? Maybe I should just call Tino again. He might pick up on the second call."

"Ah ah, No." Emese scolded him with a wave of her finger as if he was her own child, "Don't bother them. You can talk to Lor, it won't kill you."

"Easy for you to say."Carver responded under his breath as he typed in Lor's number.

"Just as easy for you to do." Emese countered. "Carver, Lor is your friend, and if you haven't noticed, she even looks up to you in some ways. I'm sure she'd like to apologize for what has happened but doesn't know how to go first. Reach out to her."

Within Lor's apartment, a certain melancholy blonde woman was doing her best to enjoy her charitable day off. With the way that she has been feeling lately, this involved being curled up on her couch in her housecoat with a tub of ice cream under her arm and a mindlessly violent movie on screen. Her phone began ringing and she grudgingly paused her movie to answer it. "Hello?" She greeted.

"Hi, Lor... it's me, Carver."

"Oh, okay." She responded briefly before purposefully pressing the end button and tossing the phone onto the other side of the couch.

"... she hung up on me!" Carver informed Emese in astonishment.

"Eh, probably a dropped call. Try again." Emese encouraged him.

Lor's phone began ringing again. She picked it up and opened the conversation with an uninterested "Sorry about that, dropped call."

"Um, right..." Carver glossed over the whole incident. "So, um, I was hoping we could get together over a Tino's house. The four of us. I know some stuff has gone wrong this week, and I just thought...you know, this is our chance to just drop all that nonsense and remember that we're friends."

"Is this all part of the Love Doctor's grand scheme to get T&T back together?" Lor spitefully asked.

"No, no. This has nothing to do with that. Tish and Tino are working things out on their own. It's all good." Carver informed with the same arrogant boastfulness that he has been displaying all week.

"Oh? Well mission fricken accomplished then." Lor spat, only being reminded of why she was mad at him in the first place.

Emese nudged Carver on his shoulder, "Don't talk about them." she whispered, "Apologize to her."

"Oh, ah, Lor... I really want to apologize to you." Carver stuttered into the phone while keeping an eye on Emese.

Lor let that sentence sink in before responding ".... Go on." She requested with a little less malice in her voice than before.

"Go on..." Carver repeated quietly to himself, as if he was asking a question, "Oh, um, I'm sorry that... uh" He then quickly covered the mouth piece and turned to Emese, "What am I apologizing for?" He asked in desperate need for guidance.

Emese gave him a stern smack across his arm before slowly speaking out the words "I'm sorry for the way that I've been treating you..." She gestured for Carver to follow along like a teacher instructing a toddler how to speak.

"I'm sorry for the way that I've been treating you..." Carver repeated into the phone, "And- and for the way that I've been treating everyone else, too." He continued on his own.

"Are you?" Lor asked. "Or are you sorry I just called you on it?"

"Ouch." Carver winced, realizing immediately that Lor wasn't going to just bury the hatchet. "Look, Lor...I'm sorry if I tried to come off as the answer to all the world's problems this week. I just...three of my friends were unhappy over things, and I was doing great. I didn't want to just sit back and make you all feel like you're inferior--I wanted to help you all become the people I grew up with. I guess that maybe in all my efforts to do that...maybe I forgot who I was when I was growing up too."

Lor gave out a long huff, "Yeah, I'm sorry too." She forced out.

"... Go on." Carver pressed as she had done to her.

Lor rolled her eyes and bobbed her head, as if Carver could see her doing that, "I'm sorry for blowing up at you yesterday. I didn't mean... _most_ of what I said. It was just too much going on at once, I needed someone to unload onto. You're a good guy, Carver. Good, but flawed. Just like the rest of us. So, I can't be mad."

"You mean it?" Carver asked, feeling more hopeful.

"Well...maybe a little peeved. But nothing that we can't fix. So what was this call all about again?"

"Well, I wanted to know if you'd be able to make it over to Tino's house today? We're going to try and get everyone together and open up the time capsule before we have to head off tomorrow."

"Wait, so that means that Tino and Tish will be there?" Lor asked with a hint of foreboding in her voice, "Yeah, you know what? Maybe another time."

"Come again?" Carver objected, "We're all going to be gone again tomorrow. There won't be another time. I can understand that things are tense between you and T&T, but that's the whole point of this, to just forget about what's happened and be friends again."

"I know, but if Tino and Tish are together again, and if they're happy. I don't want to end up doing anything to destroy that. It might be better if you just get together without me."

"But, Lor... I- it just wouldn't be right. You have to come." Carver pleaded.

Before he could continue, Emese snatched the phone from his hand, "Hello, Lor." she greeted.

"Tino's mom?"

"I told you that you can call me Emese," the older woman reminded, "Look, you need to do this. If not for your friends, then for yourself. You've been running from people since you were old enough to strike out on your own. But this is it, Lor. You have to prove to yourself that you can stand up to this and deal with the people who care about you. No matter what they might say, no matter how mad they might be with you. You deserve to see this through to the end."

Lor sighed in contemplation, "Yeah, yeah you're right. This isn't going to get better until I deal with it. Th... thank you, Emese. I'll be over soon."

"Your welcome, We'll see you then." Emese responded with both authority and kindness before tossing the phone back to Carver. "See, easy." She smiled.

"Wow, that was good." Carver complemented with a bit of awe, "How do you do it?"

"Honestly, you kids never seem to change." Emese said with an amused shake of her head, "If I didn't nudge you guys along then your whole lives would be like a soap opera. If someone was going to make with the happy ending, then I guess I can't help but intervene."

"Well, I can understand Tino and Tish. But why so interested in Lor and I?"

"What are you kidding? You're all part of Tino's life. Besides, you guys spent so much time in this house as kids you may as well be my own children." She then gestured toward the kitchen, "Now c'mon. You're going to help me get things ready for the guests."

Before Carver could get off the couch, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and smirked, "Huh, looks like Tino's returning my call." Emese smiled knowingly before continuing to the kitchen on her own, leaving Carver to tend to his phone call, "Hey, T. How did things work out?....... Really? That's fantastic! I always had faith in you two....... Nah, I just called before to tell you that we'll be opening the time capsule at your place..... Yep, we'll all be there..... Yes, all of us........ Well, we'll just have to see what happens..... Alright, I'll see you and Tish soon..... Bye, man."

Carver ended his call and motioned to get up to go to the kitchen, but not before glancing at the time capsule sitting idle on the coffee table. Holding memories that have been left untouched for a dozen years. Housing the material symbols of a time when their lives were all so simple. It was like their childhood memories lay trapped inside this small steal box, eager to flow back to life the moment they opened the lid. He smiled to himself and said, "Let's hope that it can be like good old times."

Author's Notes

I don't know if any of the original followers are around to read this. Or if they have any interest in this story anymore. For those of you who are reading this, it probably comes as a shock to find this story, which has been discontinued for about 3 and a half years, continued. Yes, years ago I turned my back on fan fiction to pursue original fiction in the form of my ongoing online comic "Chilln' Civilians", and don't take this as my triumphant return to fan fiction, but I just felt that I couldn't move on in the world of storytelling until I finished what I started. Well, it's more than that, actually. Let me explain. About 2 months ago I enrolled in the military. And an endurance that I am currently going through is basic training (with a 3 week leave for Christmas where I'm taking the time to do this). It was during this time that I was free of many of the distractions that my previous lifestyle held. Mostly including my laptop and access to the internet. So, without a means to continue working on my comic or many other forms of entertainment that I previously took for granted, I turned to my iphone to connect with the outside world, which I could browse the internet with via a 3G network. Since many web sites don't view too well on a small screen, I ended up turning to , where I found myself reading my old fan fiction before going to bed at night. And Time Capsule was one that I read over and over. It was then that a strong desire to finish what I started overtook me. I was thankfully able to get back in contact with my old co-author, Lord Malachite. Even though our current schedules makes it difficult to be online at the same time these days, I don't have to wake up early during my Christmas leave yet. I only regret that I was unable to get back in touch with my proof reader, Pale Dim. But I think that we're relatively free of typos here.

Mostly, the reason why I abandoned this story so many years ago, besides a desire to step out of the fan fiction stigma and branch out into more original artistic outlets, was that I simply couldn't finish it. Or more so, I couldn't write the scene between Tino and Tish. As ironic as it sounds, I had to grow as a person and a storyteller before I could write that scene. It took a lot of work and coordination between myself and Lord Malachite to get through it too. I have planned one more chapter to this story followed by a nice epilogue, which technically is a chapter all on it's own. Most of the epilogue is already written save for a few gapping holes that I have to bridge. But the next chapter is going to be another challenge that I only hope that I am able to get through before I have to go back and finish basic training on the 9th of January. Anyways, because I'm sure that he'll have lots to say concerning this fellow who rang him up after so many years of silence to continue this story, I'll hand things over to the co-author now.

Co-Author's Notes:

It has been so long since I have properly worked with these characters, that I completely jumped on the chance when approached by Didjargo after all these years to finish what we had once started. I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't be up to the task. However, I found that with his guidance, it was like slipping on a pair of old shoes. Working with these characters again fel deceptively easy, yet very enjoyable. It made me remember a love I had forgotten, and rekindled my interest in this series. I only wish we had gotten back to it sooner. Each year, my writing time gets increasingly limited, and I find I do it less as I already have too many things I want to finish. It's so very hard. But now, at long last, I have the chance to do it. To finish something started so long ago, and I couldn't be happier. Rest assured, this chapter does not mark the end of our work. Didjargo and I are constantly pushing forward to finish this story quickly--but also to give it the conclusion it truly deserves. We thank all of you that have been patiently waiting, and it is my fond hope that you'll stick with us for the conclusion.

Thanks to all for reading,

LM


	19. Memory Lane

Chapter 19: Memory Lane

Lor made her way up the walkway to the Dickson residence. She gave a door a light rapping to announce her arrival and, in a moment, Mrs. Dickson came to greet her. "Good to see that you could make it." Emese said.

"Yeah, well. Let's just hope that things turn out for the better here." Lor responded with half hope.

Emese nodded and led her guest through the front hallway and into the living room before going elsewhere to attend other matters. There, Lor found Carver finishing the task of laying various refreshments and old photo albums on the coffee table, framing the old grey time capsule. Lor took a brief survey of her surroundings. "Are Tish and Tino here?"

"Nope." Carver informed, "But they'll be here shortly. By the way, it's official, they're back together."

Lor smiled distantly, "That's good to hear. Looks like I'm the only loose end left dangling."

Carver stepped around the coffee table to speak more directly with her, "So, uh... how are you holding up, in general?"

Lor sheepishly rubbed the side of her arm, "I'd be lying if I didn't say that I've dug myself quite the hole. Which is nutty if you think about what's been going on with Tish this whole time and here I am with my head on the chopping block."

"Hey, c'mon. We're still your friends. I think that we've been through tougher times. You just got to give them a chance. Trust me, things will be like they were in the old days."

"Ha! We all keep talking about how less complicated our lives used to be. But is that a fact or just nostalgia talking?"

"Hmm, good question. They say that you only remember the good times, so-"

Their conversation was cut off as the doorbell rang. At first they thought it was Tino and Tish. Carver was about to voice the query as to why Tino would ring the doorbell to his own home but Dante came noisily rushing down the stairs and bolted for the door. "Gabe, did it work?!" Dante frantically asked his friend of equal age the moment he opened the door.

"Not at all. I think that violins and duct tape just don't mix." His distressed friend answered. Carver and Lor only stood there as silent spectators to this episode that they seemed to be jumping in half way to.

"Don't worry. There's this shop in the mall that sells and repairs instruments. I might have to dip into my allowance, but it might work."

"Good, because I don't think that Freya can keep Crane distracted for much longer. Dude, I don't want to think about what Crane will do to us if she finds out that we broke her violin."

"Hey, if this works, she'll never have to know. Now let's hurry," Dante then turned around, cupped his hand to the side of his mouth, and yelled, "Mom, I'm heading out!" before rushing out the door and slamming it behind him.

With the entertainment over, Lor and Carver brought their attention back to each other. They both exchanged odd looks over the shear timing of the scene and the eerie resemblance of their youthful exploits for as long as they could before breaking out with laugher at the little inside joke that they seemed to share. "Ha ha! I wonder if it's hereditary." Lor rhetorically asked.

"Ha ha... wooooo, aw man." Carver let the last of his giggles work themselves out, "Alright, enough of that. Why don't you help me here? All I have left to do is put this banner up."

Lor observed Carver snatch a short length of tape from the dispenser perched on an end table, grasp an end of the banner from the floor, and take a step up onto the couch, before she followed suit on the opposite side. She look a quick read of what she was putting up, "12 years?" She questioned what she thought was a mistake, "It hasn't been that long since we've last seen each other."

Carver read over the banner himself, "Huh? Oh. No, that's the time capsule. It's been 12 years since we made it." He corrected while gesturing to the object in question on the coffee table.

Lor pinned up her side of the banner and leaped down to stand over the time capsule. "Wow, so we made that when we were 12? I tell ya, nostalgic or not. I think those were the best years of my life." She said as if she was talking to the box itself.

Carver didn't continue this light conversation. There was something that he wanted to discuss while they had this time alone. He cleared his throat, "So, have you thought about what you're going to say to them? Tino and Tish I mean."

"Not a clue," She responded without hesitation or turning to face him, "I'm just hoping that Tish is in too good of a mood to bring anything up."

"And Tino?" Carver pressed.

Lor brought her hands to her hips and stood there for a moment to let Carver hang in anticipation. She then turned around slowly and made eye contact with him, as if she wanted him to completely understand what she was about to say. Carver was sure that she was trying to burn her glare into him. She then raised her eyebrows and said in a voice that was casual yet still held a threat, "There's nothing that needs to be said."

Carver understood completely, in the same way that you understand a dog that growls at you when you enter her yard. He was thankfully saved from Lor's wrath as Tino and Tish made their timely entrance.

"All I'm saying is that kids can pickup up bad grammar from reading some of those comic books out there. I've seen your webcomic--frankly, it's rather well-written for the medium." Tish was saying as she walked in the door directly behind her boyfriend. "You should be proud."

"I'm proud of my work, although I admit, I'd never point at it as a language tool, Tish."

"You should consider it. You know, comics are actually a great way to teach a language--people can pick up on context because the drawings provide more meaning, that's all... Oh, hi Carver, Lor."

The room suddenly went dead silent the moment Tish uttered the woman's name. Lor broke her fixation on Carver to spin around at the couple standing behind her. Despite her strong front that she built up, Lor suddenly found herself becoming very nervous in their presence. She couldn't read the expression on Tish's face because she was too scared to look at her directly. "Ah.. err.... Coffee? Does anyone want coffee? I think I hear the coffee calling." And with that she ungracefully stepped over to the kitchen.

The rest of the group exchanged glances, then Carver sighed and said "You know what?--"

And all three of them spontaneously said "-- I'll go talk to her." Causing them to all stop and look at each other again.

"Whoa, whoa, we can't all go rushing in there, she'll be like a cornered animal." Carver reached behind his back.

"Maybe I should go." Tino offered. "I was the one who...um...the thing and all....yeah........" Tino trailed off, suddenly feeling a lot less confident.

"No." Tish said quietly, but with some affirmation in her tone. "This is a woman thing. Lor and I are the ones that need to talk. In private. We have some things to iron out."

Her voice sounded agitated, which worried Carver. "Tish, I know you have somewhat of a right to be upset with Lor, but you can't--"

"Carver, this is between Lor and myself." Tish cut him off. "We'll handle it."

"But Tish..." Tino pleaded, "I don't...I don't want either you to fight, especially not because of me."

"I'm not going to fight Lor, Tino. Verbally or otherwise. I won't lie to you and say that it wouldn't feel good...but it won't change anything either. All we can do is go forwards, and that's what I intend to do. But until Lor and I deal with this...it's all meaningless. You know I'm right."

"I'm not so sure..." Tino hesitated.

"Okay then, so what if the situation was that Carver had slept with me, Tino?"

"We get your point!" Carver blurted out, very uncomfortable with the illustration.

"Good." Tish smiled. "You boys wait here in the living room, play some video games or something while Lor and I...do whatever it is we have to do." She sighed, crossing into the kitchen before either one could stop her.

She found Lor standing over the sink, filling the coffee pot with water. "Um, Lor?" Tish began, which unintentionally startled the woman.

"Jeez! I mean, hiya, Tish. Uh... cream and sugar?" She asked with forced calm before walking to the furthest end of the counter, creating as much distance between herself and Tish as she could without being childish.

Tish stepped closer to her slowly, as if she would be scared off too easily, "I'm not mad at you," She said with her arms open, "I just thought that maybe you'd like to talk. I mean now that I'm more approachable, that is."

Lor turned to face her and propped her arms up on the counter "Heh, there's ah... I don't think that there's anything that we really need to talk about here." She said with transparent avoidance.

"Well, I think that there is plenty to discuss since we last spoke to each other."

"It meant nothing, okay?" Lor blurted out, she then bit her lip and looked around, "... You and Tino, you're back together now. Which is great. I mean, that's what matters here."

"I don't think that's all that matters to you," Tish shook her head slightly. "Lor, we could spend all night apologizing for what we said to each other or for the drunken ass that I made of myself last night. But as your friend, I can't leave without knowing your feelings on all of this."

"My feelings? Well, if you want to get into that. I guess I could say that I felt betrayed... kind of stupid too. I mean, I didn't know anything about the situation when I did it. And then you came around and things got messy. I just felt like I was backed into a corner."

"You're talking about the fight we had," Tish clarified, "I've already had plenty of time to think about that and, I'm terribly sorry for all of the things I've said to you, Lor. I'm still not comfortable about how it all came to pass, but I know that I am a guilty party in all of this. But what I really want to know is what your feelings are concerning what happened with you and Tino."

Lor's eyes widened at the question. She cocked her head and looked at Tish's eyes to be sure if she wanted to go down that path. Tish remained unwavering, so Lor let out a sigh and said "Nothing... no feelings at all. I was just having some fun."

"... Some fun?" Tish asked with stern disappointment.

"Yeah, fun," Lor repeated with a hint of annoyance, "What is this, the Dr Phil show? Trust me, I'm not in love with Tino or anything. We were alone, he was upset, it just sort of happened."

"So was any of it Tino's idea?"

"No! It was all me. My doing. I'm the one to blame. Truth is that Tino didn't want to but I forced him into it." Lor then saw Tish began to grow angry, "No!" She ordered with a swipe of her arm, "Don't do this! You have Tino back, you have your happy ending. Just leave it at that. If you go looking for ghosts now then you're just going to ruin what you have."

Tish stepped right up close to Lor, causing the woman to inch herself into the counter. Tish glared at her and said "Either you're lying about your feelings... or you've become a horrible person."

Lor turned her head off to the side, refusing to look Tish in the face, "Let's just call me a horrible person and leave it at that. At least things will be better off that way."

Tish took a step back and immediately shook the anger out of her head at the sight of how she hurt her friend, "Lor... I'm- I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, Tish. Don't be sorry. Just trust me when I say that I'm not in love with Tino. Yes, I have feelings that are really complicated, maybe ones that I can't begin to explain. But I also meant it when I said that you and Tino being together is all that matters. It's what I want for you both."

"Really? Do you mean that?"

Lor placed a hand on Tish's shoulder, "Of course I do. Really now, as much as I care for him, me and Tino, it would never work out. You are what he needs, Tish. And I think that you need to just let some things go and be happy."

Tish sound solace in her words but it still concerned her that Lor's eyes didn't share the same statement. She wanted to press on, feeling that the only way to truly make amends with her life long friend was to cure what ails her. But at the same time, she didn't want to neglect the sacrifice that Lor was making for her happiness. Tish smiled widely and leaned in to hug Lor, "Thank you. Let's just forget about what happened and be glad that we're all here together right now. As the friends we should be."

Lor let out a soft laugh, "I'd like that."

The two women returned to the living room to see the two men sitting on the couch, leafing through the old photo albums. Carver looked up at them and remarked, "Hey, remember how Tino looked with braces?" while holding up the photo album opened to a page taken during their teen years.

Tino rolled his eyes, "Hang on, I'll find a bad picture of you."

"Ha! You'll have better luck finding a picture of the invisible man in there." Carver laughed. He then turned toward the women, "So how did it go?"

Tish motioned to speak, but Lor stepped in first, "Water under the bridge. All is forgiven."

"... Really?" Carver asked, unsure of that statement.

"Yeah." Lor confirmed, "We're big girls. We can iron things out without getting in a cat fight. Now, aren't we here for a reason? Shove over and let me look at those albums."

Tish watched Lor plop down next to Carver and giggle at a picture of herself as a toddler. Letting the situation stand as it was, she glided over next to Tino and glanced down at the photo album that he was holding. A picture of herself and Lor when they were preteens stood out to her. Tino looked up at her and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Tish rubbed his shoulder and gave a mellow smile, "Yeah... everything is good."

The next hour or two went without incident or drama. They all managed to set all of their troubles aside and just enjoy each other's company. Good laughs and good memories were shared with each turn of a page.

"Hey, look," Tino pointed out, "There's the time that we did that whole pudding ball thing. Even back then we made a good team. Right, Tish."

"Heh, yeah. I suppose that we did," Tish agreed. "Now would you look at this. There's that time that we went to the mountains with Lor's grandma. Hehe, I remember that I was so excited over something like stepping in slush."

"Dude, check this one out," Lor said as she displayed photos from a different book, "Tish with that perm. Why did we even take a picture of that?" She giggled.

Tish smirked that one off and flipped the page of the book. "Aw, now this is something special." Carver commented as he leaned over to look "To you remember the Spring Dance when we were 14? Man, that was just days after you two started dating. And look, there's me with Moira. Looking fantastic as always."

"Huh, I don't see Lor in any of these pictures. Weren't you there?" Tino asked Lor.

"I didn't go, remember? I was going to ask Thompson out but that never happened."

"Hey, now that's just not right," Tino objected, "We shouldn't have gone to the dance and left you behind."

"Hey, it was nothing. Just a dance from back when we were kids. I have a lot of experiences in my life without missing one dance. Besides, it was good enough for me to see you two as the cute couple you are."

Tish agreed with Lor and turned the page to move on. But Tino couldn't help but see that the woman who he quite comfortably shared a single couch cushion with was somewhat subdued. As if she had something more concerning on her mind.

After a while, the last of the photo albums were completely viewed from cover to cover. Carver stacked them all into a single pile and placed them out of the way. "Alright, I think that it's time for the main event. Is everyone ready to open up the time capsule?"

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Lor gleamed, "I honestly can't even remember what we put in this old box. Hey, do you think that it stinks in there?"

Tish blinked at her, "Stinks?" She questioned.

"Yeah. You know, whatever's in there has been sitting there for a dozen years. Maybe it's gotten all green and moldy." She grinned and wiggled her fingers.

"Well, I certainly hope that's not the case. Last thing we all need is to fall ill from some airborne spores."

Tino cut in between them, "Ladies, please. Tish, you worry too much. And Lor, you're seriously grossing me out. Let's just open this thing already." And with that he leaned forward and unhooked the latches holding the lid down. He pressed his thumbs against the rim and looked at his surrounding friends, their collective attentions focused purely on the box. He then slowly pulled the lid open and let it clink down onto the coffee table.

"Whooo-wow, would you look at this stuff," Lor exclaimed as she reached in a pulled out the item laying closest to the surface. "Hey look, it's Tino's Capitan Dreadnought doll."

"Action figure!" Tino corrected as he snatched his treasure from Lor's grasp. "Man, I used to love this little guy. Nothing compared to the detail in the figures they have now, but this is the only one that had the 16 action phrases and... aww, man. The battery's dead."

"That's what happens to batteries when you leave them lying around for 12 years," Carver informed, "Hmm, now I wonder what I left in this thing?"

"I bet it's a shoe." Lor predicted.

"I second the shoe," Tino agreed.

"Something shoe related." Tish countered.

Carver reached into the box and pulled out a magazine that was curved up against the wall. "Heh, a shoe magazine. And the classy lady with the glasses wins." Tish bowed lightly at him, "Hey, now I remember this one. This is the one featuring that foxy shoe model that I had the crush on when I was 12."

"Not to burst your bubble, but she was too old for you then and I bet she's still too old for you now." Tino joked.

"Yep. Plus I'm going to be a married man. Sorry, sexy shoe lady," Carver addressed the magazine, "but ours is a love that shall never pass." He waxed poetically as he playfully tossed the magazine off to the side.

"My turn! My turn!" Lor announced like an excited child. She dove into the box and came up with her own childhood possessions. "Let's see, some old sports medals and... oh sweet, baseball cards. I bet these things are worth like, twice as much as they were when I bought them! Hey, check me out: Lor MacQuarrie, smart investor." Said said proudly while waving the cards in the air.

Tish was about to open her mouth and interject, but she decided to just let Lor have this one and carried on with an amused smile. She then took her turn to look into the time capsule. All that remained in the bottom was an old VHS tape. She lifted it out in one hand and examined it. "Huh, VHS tape. I wonder what's on here."

"Vee-aytsh-ess?" Lor mockingly sounded out, "What is this primitive language you speak? Didn't those things go the way of cassette tapes and the dinosaurs?"

"I think I remember that," Tino recalled, "You had that video camera and made that movie of us that one summer."

"Oh, fantastic," Carver stood up, "Let's pop it in. We've got to see this." He took the VHS as Tish passed to him and walked over to the television set but then stopped in his tracks. "Tino, where's your VHS player?"

"What decade do you think this is, man?" Tino responded, "We don't have a VHS player. At least not one that's hooked up anyways."

"Well is there one somewhere in the house at least?" Tish asked.

"Hmm... You know what? We could always check the basement. Odds are if we still have one it'll be down there. I'll go take a look for it"

"Hang on, I'll go with you," Tish offered as she lifted herself off the couch and followed him.

"Sure," Tino responded gleefully. He then turned to Carver and Lor, "You guys sit tight. Won't take long."

A second after they departed for the basement, Carver placed the VHS down on the coffee table and turned to Lor. "I'm going to get a drink, you want anything?"

Lor shook her head, "No thanks." And with Carver momentarily out of sight, Lor settled back on the couch but then noticed one more thing sitting at the bottom of the time capsule. She reached forward and brought the entire box up to her face. There was a photograph lying face down and stuck to the bottom from years of being compressed against it. She carefully pealed it off the bottom of the box and flipped it around to view it. With minimal damage done, she could clearly see that it was a Polaroid of all of them posing together on the ledge at the boardwalk. All huddled together and smiling for the camera. She smiled warmly at the image of their carefree youth. "Best years of my life." She whispered to herself.

Tino flicked the light on to the basement and stepped down the creaking stairs with Tish following closely behind. "You have a lot of stuff down here," Tish observed, "Any idea where a VHS player might be?"

"Not entirely sure. I haven't lived in this house for a couple of years myself. I'll look over here and you can take a peak under the stairs. Half the time that's where we end up keeping things." He instructed before stepping over to examine a stack of cardboard boxes.

Tish sifted through the contents under the staircase without really looking. She had this nagging thought growing in the back of her mind and, as much as she knew that she should, she couldn't go on ignoring it. "Tino... can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, you can ask me anything." Tino assured with his arms elbow deep in a cardboard box, not realizing what he was offering.

Tish didn't continue for a moment, she wasn't sure how or if she wanted to ask him this. "... What are your feelings about Lor?"

Tino lost his grip and fell partially into the box that he was leaning on. He then quickly bolted up and tried to make it look like he didn't just do that. "Lor... she, ah... she's a good friend. I'd say that I, eh... I feel the same about her as you or Carver probably do."

Tish shook her head, "You'll have to forgive me if I don't think it's quite that simple. You know her on a more intimate level now. More than me in a purely physical sense. Are you telling me that nothing has changed?"

"C'mon, let's not do this, Tish." Tino pleaded, "You know that going into this isn't going to make any of us feel any better. I told you before, it doesn't matter what happened between me and Lor. It's you that I love. Can't we just be happy with that?"

"It's not us that I'm worried about, it's Lor." Tish concerned, "I just don't want to feel like I'm abandoning her."

"Well, you guys talked already, what did she have to say about it?"

"She said that she was fine with all of this. And that us being together was what she wanted. But I know that there is a whole lot that she's not telling me, and it's hurting her. I was hoping that you could give some insight."

"Some insight?" Tino repeated in a serious tone, "Will knowing change anything between us?"

"... It might." Tish answered sheepishly, ashamed.

"Then why even ask?"

"Because I have to know. Lor says that it didn't mean anything."

"Then it didn't mean anything. Just leave it at that."

"And I told you that I don't buy that. I want to know how you felt about it."

Tino saw that there was no way to get out of this. He sat himself down on a sturdier box and let out a deep sigh to collect his thoughts. "Tish, it was....it wasn't one of my prouder moments in life. I never meant for it to happen, I didn't leave that night thinking _'I know, I'll just sleep with Lor! That will teach her!'_ It was never like that, I just hurt inside, and my friend was there for me, and...do you even have any idea how I felt then? I loved you just as much then as I do now...and I couldn't see any way to make it work anymore. I gave up on ever knowing the touch of a woman again, of feeling you, of...god, it's so complicated! You and I never made love, Tish. And I was okay with that, because you were the only one I wanted to do it with anyway. I had always thought that we would get back together, and it would happen for us...and it would be one of the most meaningful moments in our lives. But I gave up. I gave up because you made it clear you weren't interested in fixing us back then, and then I went with Lor, and one thing lead to another, and...I fought her a little at first, but...she convinced me."

"Oh, I'll bet she convinced you! How hard could it have been when she was--"

"Tish! She convinced me because I realized that it didn't mean anything to her. I wasn't her first, and I won't be her last. For her, it was just sex. Sure, it was sex with one of her best friends, but we both know that Lor isn't exactly fulfilled either. She wanted me...and I obliged, okay. And yes, it felt good, Tish, it felt wonderful. Physically. And then it ended. I mean, she didn't even want to cuddle with me afterwards! Maybe that's just her way, I'm not going to analyze her sex life. And she made it abundantly clear the next morning that it was just a one-time thing and it didn't mean anything! Do you even know how that felt to me? I felt like I was supposed to leave her a tip for her services!"

They both heard a feminine gasp from above them and turned to see Lor standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at them with a hand pressed to her lip and a hurtful expression in her eyes.

Tino bolted up, "Lor! W-w-what are you doing there? How much did you hear?"

Lor bore an infuriated expression and stomped down the stairs. "I came down here to help you look... so this is what you say behind my back! What you think of me?"

"No no! Lor, that isn't what I meant. I was only saying that so that Tish would feel better." Tino tried to explain as he inched away.

Tish immediately turn her head toward him in a hurtful gasp of her own. Tino could see that he made another stupid mistake, "Wait, no, that's not what I meant either!"

Lor marched right up to the distressed man, flared her nostrils, and cranked her hand back to give him the hardest slap across the face that she dared to give him. Sending poor Tino reeling to the ground. He sat up with his hand covering a bright red mark across his cheek to witness Lor stomping back up the stairs with fists clenched. Tino looked at Tish for some compassion, "Tish, please. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Tish shook her head at him in disappointment, "I'm sorry Tino. But I don't think that this is right anymore." She scolded before following after Lor.

Tino was left alone on the cold concrete floor. He leaned forward and buried his face into his hands. "God dammit," he silently exclaimed, "What the hell do I do now?" He was infuriated that he had to pour his heart out to get Tish back, and now a moment of stupidity may have cost him the woman he loves and one of his closest friends. He then saw that a dusty old VHS player laid near his leg. He looked at it as if this was all the machine's fault. But at the same time, it was like this was all he had left.

Author's notes:

I'm going to end this chapter right here for three reasons: It went on longer than I had planned, I have to cut the content in half to supply enough meat to the next chapter, and it seemed like a good dramatic point to end on. I actually had no intention on going down this path when I started writing this chapter. But it all just seemed boring to end this story without at least a bit more conflict. Of course, in doing so, I have ended up changing the ending to this story almost entirely. Don't worry, for what I have planned, it may be for the best. Malachite insists that we need to explore Lor's emotions a lot more before this story comes to a close, and that's what I plan to do. At least it was nice to be able to work the actual time capsule back into the story. After all, it's in the title. But it's the video tape that will end up meaning the most in the end. By the way, did you like that little thing that I did with Tino's little brother there? Even though he's a supporting character, I always wanted to give the impression that Dante and his friends were living out some kind of Weekenders Second Generation thing without having it interrupt the story. Well, next chapter might be the final one if me and Malachite can manage to wrap things up as we have planned. Until then, later days.


End file.
